


Solace

by zeusfluff



Category: Fringe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-21 06:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 24,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3681876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeusfluff/pseuds/zeusfluff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the run from Big Eddy, Peter finds solace in a small town in Mexico where he lies low until the bounty on his head can be lifted.  A/U. Some violence/drugs but not too graphic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Solace

**Author's Note:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. I'm just borrowing them.

March 1st, 2002

Puente Grande, Jalisco, México

Hiding here was as good a place as any. I’m hoping in time I could blend in with the towns people. Stepping off the green and white charter bus correctly labeled: Estrella Blanca or White Star, I looked around at my surroundings. There wasn’t much in the way of suburban life. This was the countryside. It was better hiding here than getting my head blown off by Big Eddy or having two of my fingers removed. Yes, this was a good a place as any to hide. All I could see of this town was a church, a town square with a fountain and a bench around it, a few shops, a dancehall, and a school with only two buildings. I had little time to notice a little boy in a school uniform crash into my shin. A woman maybe twenty feet or so away from me scolded him.

“Ay hijo! Cuidado! Di lo siento señor.”

(Oh son! Be careful! Say sorry sir.)

The boy looked up at me with tears in his eyes and acted as if I would do something to him. I wouldn’t touch a hair on a child’s head. I only smiled at him and listened to him stammer out his apology to me.

“Lo siento señor. Con permiso.”

(Sorry sir. Excuse me.)

I only smiled at the boy and moved out of the way so his mother could pass with a little girl in a school uniform as well that could only be his sister. 

“Que te dije Ricardo! Que te dije! No corriendo en la calle! Usted no recibe un televisor cuando llegue a casa y de su derecho a su habitación para hacer su tarea ... Tendré que hablar con su padre cuando llega a casa. Córrale Conchita!”

(What did I tell you Richard! What did I tell you! No running in the street! You get no tv when you get home and it’s straight to your room to do your homework... I'll have a talk with your father when he gets home. Hurry Conchita!)

It felt right being in this small town, and from what I’ve seen of the townspeople so far, they seem very friendly. I should assume some sort of name here. Juan Gonzalez. I was good at assuming names. Now all I had to do was find some place to stay and get a job. Down here you’d have to work hard to get a decent pay under $2.50 a day. I walked into a bread shop next to the church and smiled at the woman who sat in a chair across the counter sprinkling pink powdered sugar onto a piece of round bread. I cleared my throat and asked my question.

“Uh con permiso señora. Necesitas ayuda? Yo necesito trabajo.”

(Excuse me ma’am. Do you need help? I need work.)

The woman only sighed at me as if to pity me. I didn’t need pity. I was Peter Bishop, though no one in this town knew that, and they never would. She turned back to me and asked my name.

“Como te llamas? Dónde está?”

(What’s your name and where are you from?)

She would only assume I was American because of my poor Spanish accent. I’d have to play it down. 

“Juan González. Soy de Jocotepec.”

(Juan González. I’m from Jocotepec.)

The woman laughed a little at me. So I lied, I wasn’t from Jocotepec. That much she figured from my accent. She’d figured that I was an American from the first time the words ‘I need a job’ came out of my mouth. 

“Usted de Jocotepec? No! De Zapotlanejo sí. Pero, Jocotepec, no. Vente hijo. Conozco a una mujer que posee un hotel al otro lado de la calle que puede saber de un trabajo justo para usted hijo. Venga. Yo le mostraré.”

(I know a woman who owns a hotel across the street who may know of a job just for you son. Come. I'll show you.)

She figured I was from the town one over from here? Zapotlanejo? I didn’t think my accent was that good. I thought it was very poor. Maybe it isn’t bad after all. I nodded at a couple of men in the street who were making their way to the local Cantina. A couple of women passed by and I moved out of their way so that they could pass. They must think I’m a gentlemen, I’m just being polite. The hotel was a small building, yet two floors. Once we got inside the building, the woman who had been sprinkling the powdered sugar onto the bread in the Panaderia rang a bell on the front desk and yelled for the owner.

“Oye, Doña Márquez? ¿Estás aquí?”

(Hey, Mrs. Márquez? Are you here?)

A woman who looked to be in her late fifties or early sixties walked out from a door that leads to a courtyard with a bunch of birds in cages. She smiled at the woman next to me. 

“Hola Mariana. Comó estás?”  
(Hello Mariana. How are you?)

The woman next to me, who I now knew as Mariana, only smiled at this Doña Marquez and motioned with her hand towards me. I smiled politely at the woman and stuck my hand out.

“Juan González. Soy de Zapotlanejo. Necesitas ayuda? Yo necesito trabajo.”  
(Juan Gonzalez. I’m from Zapotlanejo. Do you need help? I need a job.)

Doña Marquez smiled at me and motioned for me to come with her. She led me into a kitchen where a large bag of flour and masa lay. 

“¿Sabe usted cómo hacer tortillas?  
(Do you know how to make tortillas?)

To be honest, I didn’t know how to make tortillas. The past few months while I’ve been here in Mexico, I’ve worked as a construction worker, a traffic cop... We’ll save that story for later... I smiled once more at the woman in front of me. 

“No no lo hago. ¿Me puede mostrar usted?”  
(No I don’t. Can you show me?)

Doña Marquez nodded her head and spread some flour onto a wooden countertop that looked to be more than one hundred years old. She spread it out evenly on the wood. Then she took a generous amount of masa, cornmeal, and placed it down onto the floured surface. She took a rolling pin and began explaining what I would need to do.

“Usted toma una cantidad generosa de harina y lo esparció en el mostrador como esto. Entonces usted toma el masa, la harina de maíz, y lo esparció fuera sobre el primero de ello y utiliza el rodillo para aplastarlo. Una vez que es hecho, usted calienta una cacerola y el palo ahí adentro. Déjelo para aproximadamente un minuto y una mitad y entonces gírelo sobre. ¿60 a 100 a un paquete bueno?”  
(You take a generous amount of flour and spread it on the counter like this. Then you take the masa, cornmeal, and spread it out over the top of it and use the rolling pin to flatten it. Once that is done, you heat up a pan and stick in there. Leave it for about a minute and a half and then turn it over. 60 to 100 to a package okay?)

I nodded my head and did exactly as she instructed. She continued on with what I would be paid and how much rent was and that she would rent out a room for me on the second floor.

“Yo le pagaré dos cincuenta al día y renta es 50 dólares por mes.”  
(I will pay you two fifty a day and rent is 50 dollars a month.)

I nodded my head and got to work. It was getting very hot in the kitchen. She handed me an apron and I put it on, wiping my hands on it every now and then. She pinched my cheek and smiled at me once more.

“Usted me recuerda tanto de mi hijo Carlos. Llegó a ser un Ciudadano de los Estados Unidos hace tres años. Está en los Marinas. Este es mi hijo...”  
(You remind me so much of my son Carlos. He became a United States Citizen three years ago. He's in the Marines. This is my son...)

I smiled at the picture and went back to work. This place was starting to feel more and more like somewhere I could stay. Now to shield myself from Big Eddy. Hence the reason I fled from both Guadalajara and Mexico City, because he had hitmen there watching me. I’d just have to enjoy my bliss for now. It was all I could do to keep sane. 

To Be Continued...

A/N: So I tried to picture Peter trying to fit in with local people. How does this sound? I'm open to suggestions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter settles in with the locals of Puente Grande.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. There are a few original characters in this story I do own though.

May 16th, 2002 8:00 a.m. CST

 

Making tortillas you had to be up very early in the morning. But today was Sunday, a day of rest, so it felt good to be in bed still. Loud “Banda” music sounded outside, and I’d heard many of the various groups from all over the state and the country. The blasting noise from the French horns, trumpets, accordions and one man belted out a song about a man trying to express his love to the woman of his dreams made my head hurt. Of all the “Banda” groups in all of Jalisco state and Mexico alone, Banda de Charley wasn’t my favorite. I pulled the pillow over my head to drown out the French horns and accordions. In the two months that I’ve been here, the hot sun has turned my skin at least four shades darker than it was when I first came. Most people here in this state, have more Spanish in them, so they have fair skin but dark eyes... The humidity hasn’t been overwhelmingly bad. But it’s not summer yet. Doña Marquez knocked on my door as she did every Sunday morning. 

“Juan, hijo! ¿Ya despiertas?”

(Juan, son! Are you awake?)

Yes I was awake. I threw the pillow off to the side of the bed and got out of it. I put on a pair of my best jeans and slid on a tan colored belt with a belt buckle with a horse on it through the belt loops. I threw on my blue plaid shirt and tucked it in. My boots and cowboy hat came last. I opened up the door to see Doña Marquez in her plain white dress with the high v-neck. It was her grandmother’s dress. She’d kept it in good condition. For a woman who was fast approaching 65 she worked just as hard as any of the men in this town. I smiled and let her go down the stairs first. In this town, being a gentleman went a long way. Most of the townspeople were crowded outside just in front of the church. Doña Marquez looked at me and smiled once more. 

“Dios me trajo tal ayuda buena, usted Juan.”

(God brought me such good help, you Juan.)

I shifted a little and avoided her gaze. God had nothing to do with it. Whether he existed or not really wasn’t for me to decide anymore. I’d stopped believing a long time ago, but I don’t remember why... I only went to church with Doña Marquez’ family as a sign of respect. But nothing else. I did the sign of the cross as a sign of respect, not that I really believed. The priest’s words rang through my head though for some reason. 

“En el nombre del padre, del hijo, y espirito y santo. Amen.”

(In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen)

When we walked outside I noticed my clothes had the familiar aroma of incense. My clothes reeked of them... Walking down the street, Doña Marquez made her weekly trip to the market just down the street from the church. She bought some Jicama and we got some more masa for me to make more tortillas. We also got fresh tomatoes, white onions and cilantro for Monday’s dinner. Next stop was a stand where a butcher cooked the meat on a hanging meat rack and the meat was shaped like an enormous bee hive. Doña Márquez told the butcher how much she wanted.

“Cinco kilos de puerco, de dos de pollo, y de tres de tripa.”

(Five kilos of pork, two of chicken, and three of tripe (cow stomach lining) 

I turned to look at the tacos that were cooking on the portable stove to the right of the butcher. It was making my mouth water. But it was breakfast time. Here in Mexico, between 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. is breakfast. Lunch is between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. And finally, dinner is between 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. Breakfast usually consists of a piece of pan dulce, bread with powdered sugar on top with a glass of milk. Lunch consists of large portions of food. Tacos, sopa (soup), vegetables, breads and different kinds of salsa to spread in your food. Dinner is usually light, maybe a taco or two and something to drink. I had gotten used to this place, and it had become my home. Just like the town had become my entire family. I hadn’t felt like I was home for such a long time.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
8:00 p.m. CST 

Los Arcos taco shop: Avenida Colonia

(The Arches taco shop, Colonial Avenue)

This was my third plate of tacos and I was still hungry. Maybe after I’m done with this plate, I should stop. It was the tv, I’m sure of it. Birria wasn’t bad. If you like goat. That or the other name for goat was chivo. I poured a generous amount of green salsa onto my taco and took a large bite. I began to cough a little and took a drink of my Boing! Boing is a soda that’s widely sold all over Mexico, as well as Delaware Punch. Doña Marquez looked at me with wide eyes. 

“Juan, hijo, estas bien?”

(Juan, son, are you okay?)

I nodded my head and started to chug my soda to try and get the burning after taste out of my mouth. My eyes were watering and I got another bottle of Boing! to wash it down. I turned my attention to the tv screen in the corner of the restaurant just above our heads. Chivas were playing against the Monarcas. Goats vs. Monarchs. I was of course in favor of the Chivas rather than the Monarcas. Monarcas was southern Mexico, Chiapas and Tabasco. Chivas was the heart and soul of Jalisco state. Everywhere you went on big game day here in Mexico, especially the World Cup or a big tournament, everyone, everywhere was wearing the red and white stripes with the teams logo plastered on the front of the jersey. The entire restaurant was in an uproar when the Chivas scored a goal. I listened to the announcer on tv.

“Goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, gooooooal! ¡Chivas ha hecho un objetivo! Las Chivas, el corazón y el alma de México. El orgullo a la gente.”

(Gooooal! The Chivas have made a goal! The Chivas, the heart and soul of Mexico! The pride of its people.)

I smiled at the tv and then quickly turned back to my plate of tacos and devoured them. This was the best Sunday night ever. Though we ate here every Sunday. It was nearly an hour and a half and the game was still going on, Chivas 6 and Monarcas 0 when Doña Marquez’ grandson Alvaro came up to me and asked if I wanted to play soccer with him.

“¿Oye Juan, quiere usted jugar al fútbol?”

(Hey Juan, do you want to play soccer?)

I nodded my head and headed out to the only soccer field they had in town, which was a fenced in area of dirt with overhead lights you had to turn on by hand at a switch box on the far end of the field by a barn. A bunch of school-age boys were playing a game of soccer and bouncing the ball of their heads. A boy bounced the soccer ball off his head at me and I bounced it back. It fell to the ground and now I was included in the game. I had the ball and was going towards the goal. I kicked the ball into the goal and pretended to be the tv announcer.

“Gooooooal!”

 

All while trying to be the crowd at the same time. After awhile, Alvaro looked at me and then his ball. I was doing tricks with it. Bouncing it off my head and knees and kicking it with my feet. I knew he was trying to tell me he wanted his ball back. Playing with these kids made me think of my own future. If I ever settle down, and had a son, would he be like Alvaro, fun loving and outgoing? 

To Be Continued...

A/N: I tried to make this interesting. The daily life of people in small towns all across Mexico are like this. Puente Grande won't be found on any map. Not with a population less than 10,000 people.


	3. A Chance Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Olivia meet. In this universe they meet before 2008.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original characters.

June 1st, 2002 9:30 a.m. CST

It was another day filled with tons of orders of tortillas. Doña Marquez a couple of weeks ago set me up with a stand in the town square close to the water fountain. I was placing 100 tortillas into a plastic bag for one of my regulars, little Conchita when I saw a beautiful blonde in a lavender dress the same cut as Doña Marquez’ dress, with the high v-neck. The dress seemed a little big on her. I immediately dropped the idea of her being overweight when I saw her place one of her hands over her stomach. Okay, so she’s pregnant... I eavesdropped on the conversation between her and the man at her arm I assumed to be her husband.

“...I’m fine John. Really...”

Suddenly, I felt jealous of this man. His wife was beautiful. As I placed more tortillas onto the large portable stove in front of me, I listened in again on the conversation between the two.

“...Okay I’m going to put gas in the truck. Go and get some fresh tortillas...”

I watched the man kiss his wife and walk towards their old 1975 Ford truck. It wasn’t until he got into his truck and was halfway down the road that the truck exploded into huge flames. The explosion threw the people within the vicinity with hard force. I heard the blonde woman scream out the man’s name as she fell to the ground.

“JOHN!?”

I pushed myself off the ground though my hearing was as if I were under water. The blonde woman maybe forty feet away from me was who I was concerned about. I ran over to her and knelt down next to her and asked her in English if she was okay.

“Are you okay?”

She looked at me with a dumbfounded look on her face as if she were surprised I spoke English so well. 

“Who could do this to my husband? Who!”

I shook my head at her not exactly sure what I should say next to her. I was careful with her as I tried to help her up. I heard her groan a little and immediately helped her sit down again. I looked her in the eye concerned. 

“Easy now. Take it easy. What’s your name?”

Her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at me, and behind them lay fear. I saw the hand with her wedding ring go to her hair and pulled a strand of blonde hair into the almost flawless bun behind her head. While the other went straight to her stomach. She shifted her weight a little and then told me her name.

“My name’s Olivia. Olivia Scott. But I prefer Olivia Dunham. Still haven’t gotten used to the idea of being called Mrs. Scott, though I’ve been married three years... Back to my original question here: who would want my husband dead?”

The hand that had pulled the strand of hair back into the tight almost flawless bun behind her head went frantically to her chest. I creased my forehead with worry and looked at her. 

“You alright?”

Olivia began to look around on the ground in front of us. She was looking for something that must have been around her neck. 

“Well what do you think? I’ve just lost my husband so no, I’m not alright. Mi Medallón. Where’s my medallion? I always wear it around my neck, and never take it off. It’s 14 karat  
gold small and oval and has the image of the Virgin Mary on it.”

I found something sparkling by Olivia’s feet and quickly snatched up the missing medallion. I handed it to Olivia and she fastened it back around her neck. I smiled at her and looked her in the eye again.

“Don’t let anybody here know this but, my names Peter. Peter King. Now are you sure your alright, or would you like me to find a medic for you? I could help you over to the clinic over on Avenida de Chapultepec.”

I didn’t know how to explain all this, but Olivia was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She needed help, so I’d find her a medic. Something was very wrong with this picture, but it wasn’t the workings of Big Eddy though. It was someone else. 

To Be Continued...


	4. Cleaning up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter visits Olivia in the hospital and brings her flowers. He also meets her parents for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original one in this story.

June 3rd, 2002 12:30 p.m. CST

Cleaning up around town has been difficult. A few houses have been destroyed because of the truck bomb. Doña Marquez told me I could take a quick break to bring flowers to Olivia. Doctors were keeping her in the hospital until tomorrow just to make sure she hasn’t gone into premature labor. I felt bad that I had been jealous of her husband. I smiled at nurse walking down the hallway in the clinic and asked what room Olivia was in.

“Que cuarto es Olivia Scott?”

(What room is Olivia Scott in?)

The nurse smiled at me and pointed to a room just down the hall. I nodded my head at her and found room 236 as she had instructed me to go. I stopped short of going into   
Olivia’s room as I heard three voices. All speaking English. The first one sounded male, and very authoritative.

“...Sweetie, I wish you’d consider moving back to Boston with your mother and me. This place, this very town has become a breeding ground for danger and I just don’t want to see you or my grandson getting hurt. Please just consider what I’m telling you...”

Now I was hearing another voice, clearly an older female voice which I assumed was Olivia’s mother. She was genuinely concerned for Olivia. 

“Olivia honey, I agree with your father. I really think you should come back to Boston and forget about this place. It’s caused you and John trouble ever since you got here. There is something wrong with this town. I’m telling you...”

I knocked on the door interrupting the conversation between Olivia and her parents. She smiled when she saw it was me. She motioned for me to come into the room. As a sign of respect, I removed my hat from my head. Olivia’s voice was wonderful to listen to.

“Juan! Are those flowers for me?”

I nodded my head and smiled at both her parents. Her father was a tall man with broad shoulders and was in military uniform. He had dark brown hair and green eyes. The stars on his collar indicated he was a general in the Marines. He looked me up and down as if to study me. He stuck his hand out for me to shake.

“General Andrew Dunham. United States Marines. Mr. Gonzalez is it? My daughter told me that you saved her life when John’s truck exploded. For that I thank you for saving my little girl, and the life of my grandson.”

I smiled at him trying to get a good read on him. He seemed like he was a very difficult man to read and very protective of his daughter. He seemed surprised when I spoke to him in English.

“It’s nice to meet you too General Dunham. Your daughter needed help, so I helped her. If you were wondering why I speak English so well, it’s because my father is American.”

Okay, so that was a lie too. But they’d figure it out in time. I had to be careful where I stepped. General Dunham gave my shoulder a hard pat and went over to the bed and gave Olivia a kiss on the forehead. She pointed her finger at her father. 

“Daddy be nice. Juan is a friend. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. After all he did save me from that bomb. You have nothing to worry about, he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

General Dunham smiled at his daughter and left the room. Her mother followed suit after she gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead too. 

“You take care of yourself and that grandson of ours. We want him to be healthy after all. Get some rest. If you want to talk, or just want me or your dad to stay with you for awhile, we’re staying at the Mermaid bed and breakfast over on Avenida Colonia. Room 237. You have our number don’t you?”

Olivia nodded her head and watched her parents leave the room momentarily. When the door shut completely, and it was just us in the room. She looked at me worriedly.

“Peter that was a close one. You know eventually my father will find out who you are. Why don’t you just tell him? Are you in some kind of trouble? Are you on the run from something?”

Olivia had so many questions that I couldn’t answer because she just wouldn’t understand. Her face went from worried to shocked suddenly. I was on edge because of it.

“What is it?”

I saw her shift in her bed a little. I was nearly out the door when she stopped me.

“Peter I’m fine. The baby was just kicking me. This boy I swear, doesn’t know when to sleep and when to be awake. A lot of times I’ll be asleep and he’ll be doing his own little dance in there. John and I had decided to name our son Charley. After my best friend Charlie. But with an ey instead of ie. I’m sorry to be dumping all my problems on you Peter. Thank you for the flowers, I appreciate them. But I should really get some rest. You can come and visit me tomorrow if I’m still here. But it sounds like these docs are letting me out today. I hate staying in one place too long.”

I smiled at her and laughed. I looked down at my watch. Wow, 1:00! I hope Doña won’t mind that I took half an hour just to give Olivia her flowers. Shaking my head I looked to Olivia.

“Okay, well, I hope to see you around. If you ever need any help with anything, groceries, anything heavy, just let me know. You really shouldn’t be carrying heavy things in your condition.”

Olivia nodded her head, but seemed sad that I was leaving. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. But I had to remember this: she was another man’s wife, even if he was dead and left her a widow; she still was another man’s wife. She’d need someone to help her move things around. I’d be there for her if she needed me. Even if it was just as a friend. 

To Be Continued...


	5. Becoming Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Olivia share a moment on a picnic blanket on the banks of Lake Chapala high in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of Jalisco State.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original characters.

Chapala Lake, Eastern Sierra Madre Mountains

July 3rd, 2002 12:30 p.m. 

Doña Marquez took the week off so that she and her family could go up to Chapala Lake and she invited me. After all, she treated me as if I were her own son. I found it ironic that Olivia was also on vacation here with her parents. I think she was using it as an excuse to spend time with me. I was walking around looking at all the gift shop ‘stands’ when I saw her sitting on a ‘picnic blanket’ eating an apple. A large red apple. Her curls made her look even more beautiful. She was trying her best to reach for her bottle of juice sitting next to her, but because of her baby belly she couldn’t reach it. Casually, I walked over to her and placed the troublesome bottle into her hands. Her parents weren’t around so she called me by my real name.

“Thank you Peter. It seems like every time I try to grab something my stomach grows bigger. I can’t even bend over to tie my shoes anymore. I’m not even moving from this spot unless I need to use the restroom. My feet are so swollen and red it hurts to move them.”

She was wearing another lavender dress the same cut as before, but one size bigger than before. I’m guessing she’s about seven months along now. The only problem is, if she ever wanted to go back to Boston and her son was born here in Mexico, he couldn’t go because he wasn’t legal. The trees were providing good shade as the humidity and sun in Jalisco could get real bad in the summers. The humidity wasn’t so bad today, but only because we were high up in the mountains, so it was just warm instead.

“Well, if you need me to get something for you I’ll get it. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Olivia only scoffed at me and turned over onto her side on the blanket. I took a seat next to her and smiled looking deep into her eyes. Her eyes were sparkling as she sat up. She looked over at me and grabbed for my hand. I shifted nervously as she placed it over her baby belly. 

“Feel that? Doesn’t it feel like the flapping of butterflies’ wings? Beautiful isn’t it?”

I didn’t know if it would be beautiful to be stretched from the inside out but knowing that a life was growing inside you, a woman that is, must be wonderful. Suddenly I found Olivia was crying while I took my hand away from her stomach. 

“Olivia what’s wrong?”

She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue. Shaking her head, she looked out onto the lake, avoiding my gaze altogether. 

“Peter you have no idea how much I miss my husband. No idea. Sometimes I feel I might go to sleep one night and not wake up the next morning because I died of a broken heart. People do die of broken hearts you know. I feel like I’ve failed to keep my life happy. I mean, I’m twenty-three for crying out loud and I’m already having a baby. I was in the Marines all throughout college. I went to Northwestern. I felt I could make a difference for my country while in college.”

When she looked back at me her eyes were swollen and red. I pulled her into a hug and held her for what seemed like ten or so minutes. I quickly let go when I saw General Dunham come my way. His stride fast and with the ferocity of wind. He was a very intimidating man. His eyes flashed with anger. Olivia’s mother on the other hand, was sympathetic, and only saw me as a friend. I stood my ground as General Dunham came over towards me. I hope he wasn’t going to start a fight. I knew how to fight, I only got into fights when I was drunk sometimes, and when I was completely off my block. I swallowed hard when he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. 

I quickly glanced down at Olivia who was crying on the blanket and her mother was holding her in her arms. They were both looking at General Dunham with a degree of nervousness and fear. Olivia looked at her father and spoke through her tears.

“DADDY! STOP IT! DADDY! He wasn’t hurting me! Please don’t hurt him!”

I wouldn’t harm a hair on Olivia’s head. He placed me down on the blanket and brushed me off. I was still looking at General Dunham, but I could hear Olivia’s mother talking to her softly, trying to calm her down.

“Sweetie relax. You shouldn’t be getting so excited. Think of your son. Don’t hurt yourself. Just relax and take a deep breath. Daddy didn’t mean to do what he did right Drew? 

You had better mean it, or you’re getting the sofa in the next room.”

General Dunham seemed to relent and look at me with an apologetic glance. I looked up at him nervously. He was a big guy, and I’m sure he only wanted to protect his daughter. 

“Look son, I’m sorry I got so angry with you. It’s just, I’ve seen other men hurt my little girl before; I don’t want to see her get hurt again.”

I’d protect Olivia no matter what. Cathy, Olivia’s mother looked at General Dunham and made him go take a long walk down the stone path next to the lake. Olivia was doing her best to stop crying, but she seemed scared. She spoke up in a small voice, sounding more like a child than a full grown woman. 

“Mom, daddy wouldn’t really hurt Juan would he? He’s my friend, and he wouldn’t hurt me. Do you think he’ll just get over all this and just accept that he is my friend? Daddy has an awful temper sometimes, but I know he means well. I just wish he’d stop treating me like I’m still 16.” 

I sat awkwardly on the edge of the blanket and let the mother/daughter moment happen. I looked out over the lake for a minute and then back over at Olivia. She looked a bit better and her feet looked a little less swollen. Her mother looked at me and smiled, she was the mirror image of Olivia, only older. 

“You two should take a walk by the lake. Just make sure not to get your feet into the water. The water is dirty because people throw garbage in it. If you look across the lake, you can see directly into the next state. The lake separates Jalisco and Michoacán state. There is a little island in the middle you can get to by boat, and it’s wonderful. Don’t worry about my husband Juan; he’s got a bad temper sometimes. I know you only mean well for my daughter. I’ll have a talk with him later about this. Go on.”

I helped Olivia up off the blanket and she slipped her shoes on. Taking her juice with her, we stepped onto the stone boardwalk and looked out over the lake. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. 

“Isn’t this the most beautiful lake you’ve ever seen? The sunlight glittering off it looks like diamonds. It’s just too bad you can’t go swimming in it.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkled in the sunlight and it made her look even more beautiful. I’d protect her from anyone who might be after her, and I had a feeling there were certain people after her because of the truck bomb placed into her husband’s truck. I’d have to find out just what’s going on here. 

To Be Continued...


	6. Secrets between Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Olivia share some secrets with one another, and Peter busts some of Big Eddy's guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original characters.

August 3rd, 2002 7:35 p.m. CST

Avenida Chapultepec, Scott Residence

I had just finished up closing for the night when Olivia had walked by my tortilla stand. She had been struggling with four bags of groceries in large paper bags with handles on them. Doña Marquez saw this and urged me to help her.

“Ayúdela fuera hijo. Una mujer que dando la luz a una bebé no debe estar llevando todo que ella sola. Necesita a una hombre para ayudarla. Apresúrese hijo.”  
(Help her son. A woman having a baby shouldn’t be carrying all that by herself. She needs a man to help her out. Hurry up son.)

But Doña Marquez didn’t have to tell me twice. I had been right there and took all the heavy bags from her. Olivia had been out of breath, and we had to walk slowly, which took us nearly thirty minutes to get to her house on Avenida Chapultepec. So now, here we sit, in the living room having juice since Olivia couldn’t drink anything with alcohol. I’d helped her put all her groceries away, but I didn’t know why she needed so much food since her parents had gone back to the states. But I had to remember, she was eating for two and she ate a lot. She looked at me seriously. 

“Peter there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you. But I haven’t gotten around to telling you because mom and dad were here. They went back to the states because my sister Rachel had her own baby, she named her Ella. Beautiful name if you ask me. But she’s only seventeen. I still can’t believe my dad got upset with you for hugging me. He’s got such a bad temper sometimes. What I was going to say was this; the reason why John and I are living down here is because we were working undercover trying to uncover a dangerous drug ring selling more than 50 thousand pounds of Cocaine and Marijuana and are trying to smuggle them into the United States. We lost track of their movements and whereabouts about seven months ago when I found out I was pregnant. I want to do this myself because John was my husband. These men have to be stopped. At all costs. I have to do this, I have no other choice.”

I knew exactly who was behind all this now. I’d met a woman in Armenia who dealt with arms trade and such, and her name was Liliana. I knew I could always trust her with any kind of weapon I could get to protect myself from Big Eddy. She had betrayed me. Now I had to protect Olivia from her. She could possibly be working for Big Eddy too, so I had to watch my back. Now it was my turn to let Olivia in on my own secrets. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea Olivia. These people are very dangerous. First off, we’re good enough friends now for you to know this, my name isn’t Peter King, it’s Peter Bishop. I use King as a way to make sure nobody knows who I am. The only person who knows who I am in this entire town is Doña Marquez. She is the only one. Now you know the truth about my name. I know who’s behind the bombing of your husband’s truck. It was a woman named Liliana. I met her in Armenia a couple of years back, and she works for a man named Big Eddy. Real tough guy who runs the Italian Mafia in Boston. He wouldn’t think twice about cutting your fingers off. I’ll go after them myself, as long as you can get your hands on some FBI standard issue weapons that is.”

Olivia had her jaw set and was looking at me with an expression I couldn’t even read. I knew she wanted to go badly, but I wasn’t about to let an eight month pregnant woman with a gun go out with me to bring down a drug ring. 

“I’m going with you then Peter. I can’t just let them get away with this. This is my job to bring them down. I do after all, need a new partner, and since I don’t have my best friend Charlie Francis here with me, you’ll have to do. You are my other best friend Peter Bishop. Now are you going to help me up off this couch or what?”

I kept shaking my head. After ten minutes or so, Olivia seemed to weigh her decision and decided against it, knowing that if she went with me, she’d not only be putting her own life in danger but her son’s as well. It’s better if she stayed behind. 

“It’s better if you stayed here Olivia. I don’t want you getting hurt on my account. Think of your son. You have a month to go before he’s born. I don’t want to see you hurt. It’s better if I go alone. I work better that way.”

Olivia looked at me with a hurt expression on her face, but didn’t let the tears fall down. She was one tough woman when she wanted to be. Or rather had to be. She nodded her head and carefully hoisted herself off the couch and towards a cabinet. Opening it, she rifled through it contents and found a nine millimeter at the bottom with a full magazine in it. Handing the gun in its holster to me, she gave me another magazine in case I needed it. As I headed towards the door she stopped me for a second.

“Come back to me alive Peter. Charley and I will be waiting for you when you get back.”

I nodded my head and placed a hand on hers giving it a reassuring squeeze to let her know I would do just that. I’d give my life for those two, and I’d bring down this drug ring with one hand tied behind my back. Now to find their hiding place. Couldn’t be too hard. 

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter tracks down Big Eddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original characters. Drugs are mentioned in this chapter.

August 5th, 2002 9:30 a.m. CST

Zapotlanejo, Jalisco, Mexico

Tracking down these disgusting drug dealers wasn’t easy. But I was doing the best I could. They weren’t very smart though, the ones that were working for Big Eddy. I came to an abandoned store at the edge of town. No one was around except for a few dogs who were scavenging for food. I hid immediately behind a metal garbage can when two men came out, both clearly speaking English.

“We need to get to get those twenty five pounds of coke up to the border by tonight. You have your contacts in place? Good. Then we set out for Guadalajara in an hour. You have the 1.2 million dollars for the drop off. Good... Tell the boss I’ll be back in an hour. I can’t wait to get out of this place...”

I chose that moment to pop out from behind the trash can, avoiding the men’s bullets in the process. The first man was small with one leg larger than the other. He’d be easy to get rid of. He swung a punch my way, and all the time I had Olivia and Charley in my mind. I had to do this. For them. I had to do this for them. I managed to miss the punch and clocked him right in the face, hard. He fell like a sack of potatoes. Before he could aim and shoot at me, I shot him, leaving a gaping wound in his side. The next man, slightly taller than him, continued to spray bullets at me. I ducked behind a large pile of wood. When he wasn’t looking I brought him down shooting him in the leg. He too fell like a sack of potatoes. He smirked at me as I got past him.

“You’ll never get to Big Eddy. There are too many of us, and only one of you. Good luck with that.”

I only shook my head and stepped over him. Going into the abandoned store, I noticed it was empty, except for Big Eddy sitting in a chair made out of rusted wiring. Wasn’t he worried about getting Tetanus from that? I glared at him still pointing my gun at him.

“Ah, Peter Bishop. We meet again. How do you like my multi-million dollar money making industry? Very profitable and people just about anywhere can get their fix for cheap...”

I found it strange that it was just me and Big Eddy in the room. I knew the cops would be here in a few minutes to bust these guys. They were not only packing and taking Cocaine and Marijuana by the truck load up to the border, but were also using it as a ‘cooking lab’ for Meth. I cocked the gun at Big Eddy, determined to bring him down. 

“Since when did you start selling and distributing drugs huh Big Eddy? And since when did you start making bombs to blow peoples cars up? Where’s Liliana. I wanna to talk to her.”

Big Eddy only smirked at me. Did he know where Olivia was living? I hoped not. Or she could be in some serious trouble. Now was my chance to kill this son of a bitch once and for all. He only smirked at me more, as if he were asking me to kill him.

“Go ahead Bishop. Go ahead and kill me. I’ve already got my number two to take my place if and when you kill me. So go ahead, pull the trigger.”

I had the right mind to kill him, but my conscious told me not to. So I settle for shooting him in both his legs. Suddenly, a group of men appeared inside the store, but none of them seemed to be armed. They were all holding their fists up as if to fight like a man with me. To quickly lower their defenses I kicked three of them right where it hurts and they too went down like a sack of potatoes. The rest tried to flee as cops came flooding into the store, now turned into a drug making lab. The ones making the Meth immediately dropped what they were doing and put their hands up. Hand cuffs were being slapped on everyone in the room. When they came to Big Eddy, he tried to spit in my face. 

“I’ll get you someday Peter Bishop. I’ll bust outta jail and kill you in your sleep. Or maybe take a couple of your fingers off. You haven’t seen the last of me yet.”

One of the cops turned to me and spoke up.

“Quien es Peter Bishop?”

(Who is Peter Bishop?)

I pretended like I didn’t know who he was talking about. I was just busting these drug thugs and hopefully Olivia would be safe again. 

“No sé. Soy Juan González de La Laja. No conozco a Peter Bishop.”

(I don’t know. I’m Juan González from La Laja. I don’t know any Peter Bishop.)

The cop only nodded his head and waited while a couple of paramedics came in to treat Big Eddy’s wounds. While they were doing that, I saw another cop take Liliana in handcuffs to the cop car just outside the store. Six more cops were confiscating all the ‘cooking lab’ equipment and twenty five pounds of Cocaine and Marijuana among the Meth being cooked in this abandoned store. Though I’m sure there are more drugs out there, they haven’t even recovered all of the 50 thousand pounds of the Cocaine and Marijuana yet. I’d just broken up the drug ring into pieces. They were probably spread out all along Mexico, and it was only a matter of time before they found both me and Olivia.

To Be Continued...


	8. Friendships Deepen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia and Peter share a meal in her kitchen when she suddenly goes into labor. Peter meets Olivia's son Charley for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own a few original characters. Including Charley.

September 16th, 2002 8:30 a.m.

I worried for Olivia now. She was two weeks past her due date. And with today being a holiday, Independence Day, the clinics were all closed. I was helping Olivia cut some strawberries and putting them into a bowl when I heard her gasp and then what sounded like water running. I watched as she stepped back from the wet mess on the floor under her bare feet. She looked at me scared.

“Oh god Peter, my water just broke. What are we going to do?”

I draped her arm around my shoulder and helped her out into the living room. I quickly helped her sit on the couch. I’d never been in this kind of situation before. Think Peter, think. The only thing that came to mind was to find the nearest clinic open and pick Olivia up. In the clinic though, I’d have to pretend I was her husband. It was the only way they’d let me in. Besides Olivia had already said she’d wanted me there. I carefully picked her up from the couch and cradled her in my arms. I barely managed to shut the metal door behind us when the loud boom and bang of fireworks nearly made me drop Olivia. She was doing her best to manage the pain she was in by breathing deeply. I felt bad that I couldn’t take that pain away from her. 

I ignored all the stares from the people in town watching the fireworks. This would go on well into the night. Not a single kid had school in the entire country. I was lucky when I found one clinic on Avenida Guerrero was open. I managed to open up the door and went in ringing the bell on the desk at the nurse’s station. 

“¡Ayúdame! Necesitas una doctor! Mi marida tengo una bebe! Por favor!”

(Help us! We need a doctor! My wife is having a baby! Please!)

I suddenly felt embarrassed I’d said that, but it was necessary for me to stay with Olivia. She no longer cared what language she was speaking in, as long as she got her point across to the doctor who was helping her onto a stretcher.

“Me duele doctor! Yo me duele!”

(It hurts doctor! I’m hurting!)

The doctor placed a hand on Olivia’s shoulder and was trying to keep her calm. He smiled at her and patted her shoulder and wheeled her into a room. We were both shooed out by a couple of female nurses. No doubt to help Olivia get undressed and into a hospital gown. Ten minutes seemed to pass by before the door finally opened up again. Olivia was in a hospital bed with wires going every which way in and out of her. One of the nurses had brought a couple of small buckets of ice so that Olivia could stay hydrated. I gave her an ice chip and she seemed to relax a little. She grabbed for my hand and squeezed it. I helped wipe the sweat away from her forehead. She started to cry suddenly, and grabbed for the phone. I watched as she dialed her parent’s number. I could clearly hear General Dunham’s voice on the other end. 

“Daddy, I’m so scared... Charley’s coming daddy... Where’s mom... I wanna talk to mommy...”

General Dunham’s voice disappeared and then I heard Cathy, Olivia’s mother on the other end. 

“...Oh sweetheart, it’ll be alright. I wish your father and I could be there right now, but the U.S. is restricting access to Mexico right now because of the violence. I’ll stay on the phone with you for a little while. Is Peter there with you? I know he’ll take care of you...”

It was nearly forty five minutes before Olivia hung up the phone with her mother. She said it was due to the long distance charges to them. She picked up the phone again and dialed her best friend Charlie. This time she tried her best to sound brave.

“Charlie, it’s me Olivia. Guess what? I’m having my son Charley even as we speak. Yes I’m fine. Uh, he’s doing well, his heartbeat is normal and he’s very impatient to get out. Though I’m already two weeks late...”

When she hung up the phone for the last time she looked at me and squeezed my hand and began to scream. She bit her lip to try and curb the pain, but it didn’t seem to work. Another doctor came into the room, a female doctor this time. Her nameplate simply said Ramirez on it.

“Hola Olivia. Que paso? Te duele? Permítame conseguirle algo para el dolor. Llamaré a una enfermera para usted. ¿Es esto su marido?”

(Hi Olivia. What’s wrong? You hurt? Okay. Let me get you something for the pain. I'll call a nurse in for you. Is this your husband?)

I nodded my head towards the doctor and held Olivia’s hand tighter as she pulled back the sheet covering Olivia’s bare legs. My face turned three shades of red and then I turned my attention to Olivia, whose face was completely red and covered in sweat. The nasal oxygen in her nose didn’t seem to be helping any. I saw her taking deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth. Being a supportive friend, I wiped the sweat from her forehead and eyes trying as much as I could to help her through the pain she was feeling. 

“I wish John were here. He’d know what to do. I guess I’m just scared that something might happen to Charley. I can’t seem to relax. And after all this time, I feel like I can’t do this...”

I took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes. I saw her tense and grab for my hands once more. She was in a great deal more pain than I thought. I heard Doctor Ramirez speak in front of us, but more to Olivia.

“Relaje Olivia. Relaje. Estas bien. Su hijo estas bien. Ocho centímetros. Dos más centímetros para ir. Trate y relájese. ¿Bueno?

(Relax Olivia. Relax. Everything’s fine. Your son is fine. Eight centimeters. Two more centimeters to go. Try and relax. Okay?)

I saw Olivia nod her head but bit her lip and leaned her head back on the pillow in frustration. She sighed a little more when Doctor Ramirez pulled the sheet back over her legs again. When she went out of the room, I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding... 

“Thank you for being here for me Peter. I couldn’t have done this alone. It’s already difficult as it is without John here... It’s bad enough I’m being stretched from one end, and now I’m being stretched from somewhere else I don’t like people being. It just hurts so much. I just want Charley out of me!”

I did my best to keep her calm through her bouts of grunts and screaming. It seemed like she stopped screaming for the time being when Doctor Ramirez came back into the room with a couple of nurses. Olivia was crying into my shoulder by now and was gripping my hands as if life depended on it. 

“Estas bien Olivia. Es tiempo. Listo?”

(Everything’s okay Olivia. It’s time. Ready?)

I watched as Olivia nodded her head gripping my hands in a death grip. Her screams seemed to echo throughout the room for what seemed like five years before the both of us began to hear the cries of a small baby. Olivia’s head plopped back up onto her pillow. Doctor Ramirez hands emerged from under the blood stained sheet with Charley in tow. He had a good set of lungs on him. I felt tears at the corner of my eyes, and Olivia was in hysterics. Once the umbilical cord was cut, a nurse placed Charley into her arms. She wept still placing soft kisses onto his forehead. 

“Hi Charley, I’m your mommy. Say hi to Peter. Say hi... I know it’s cold out here... You’ll get used to it. Looks like you share your birthday with Mexico... Happy birthday Charley.”

My smile broadened at the sight of mother and son sharing a moment with each other. Was this what it was like when I was born? 

To Be Continued...


	9. Friendships grow: but love grows faster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter helps Olivia with Charley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own Charley.

September 18th, 2002 2:30 a.m.

Olivia had called me over because she was having trouble putting Charley to sleep. I gladly got out of bed to go and help her. She’s the only person besides Doña Marquez I’d get up early for. The screaming baby in my arms was red in the face and wasn’t responding to anything I was doing. 

“Has he eaten anything?”

Olivia nodded her head at me and massaged his tiny foot with her thumb. He reacted to her touch and jerked his foot away from her, screaming louder. I tried speaking to him, to see if he’d calm down. 

“Hey buddy, what’s wrong? Does something hurt? Or are you just upset?”

Like magic Charley calmed down and was only fussing now. Olivia looked at me shocked from the bed and put a hand up to her forehead, signaling her relief that Charley was okay. 

“Peter, you are a life saver. He’s already attached to you Peter. Remember how you were holding him in the clinic and he stopped crying? He opened up his eyes and looked at you. And I think he smiled too. They say babies this little can’t smile and that it’s just gas. But I think it was a genuine smile.”

I smiled down at the tiny baby in my arms. I was glad it was only Sunday. He’d been born on Friday and since it had been Independence Day, the whole weekend I’ve had off. There was no doubt that Olivia needed help here. She couldn’t do all this alone. The circles under her eyes told me otherwise. 

“You could use some sleep Liv. Get it while you can. Charley’s falling asleep so I’ll just put him back in his crib until he needs to eat again. What time did he eat?”

I watched as Olivia glanced up at the wall clock which was noisily ticking away on the wall by the bedroom door. 

“A couple of hours ago. He’s probably all fussy because he’s hungry. He gets very upset until he’s eating, then he’s calm. I don’t know where he gets his temper from... Not from   
John, could be from my side of the family. We already know my dad has a bad temper... Here, tickle the bottom of his foot to wake him up. He can’t just sleep and not eat. I’m glad you got him to stop crying though. There must be something about your voice that he finds soothing.”

I smiled nervously at Olivia and placed Charley into her arms once he was awake and alert. He let out a loud wail and Olivia tried to soothe him with a voice no louder than a whisper.

“Hey Charley, its okay sweetie. Mommy knows you’re hungry. You can’t just sleep it all away. What would daddy think?”

I handed Olivia a blanket and watched Charley squirm under it. I made my way towards the doorway not wanting to spoil the mother/son bonding time. I looked into Olivia’s eyes, though deep dark circles enveloped them, they had a sad quality about them. 

“I’ll be in the living room on the couch if you need me. I’ll let you feed Charley in privacy.”

Olivia managed a smile at me and I turned to go towards the living room. When I got there, the couch was a bit lumpy. But most couches were lumpy around here. At least most couches in Mexico were lumpy, and the beds were hard. They say it’s good for the back. I don’t believe a word of it. I was just falling asleep when I heard Olivia yell from the bedroom.

“EW! Charley! Hijo! Gross!”

I sprang from the couch and went back into the bedroom. Charley’s cries were drowning out Olivia’s frustrated yelps of disgust. When she saw me, her face turned five different shades of red. One of them was clearly embarrassment. I couldn’t see anything; she still had the blanket draped over her. She motioned for me to come towards the bed. She handed Charley to me all while keeping the green blanket draped over her. 

“I’m getting in the shower. Charley is turning into a spit up machine! Ugh!”

Charley only opened up his eyes, green eyes like his mother, and smiled at me. I smirked and laughed a little. Poor Olivia seemed to be getting the short end of the stick. But Charley was just a baby. He would spit up and he would burp and poop and all that. His mother would take care of him. Over the short amount of time that I’ve known Olivia, I think I’m starting to fall in love with her. The baby in my arms I’d come to love like a son since he was still in his mother’s womb. This was going to cause some problems later when he asks about his father...

To Be Continued...


	10. First Words

March 16th, 2003 9:35 a.m. 

Charley is exactly six months old today. I smiled over at Olivia as she sat on the floor in front of Charley as he giggled. He rolled over onto his back and played with his feet for a second before rolling over again and started to crawl away. He got a few steps away from Olivia and was coming towards me when he fell. He began to cry but picked himself up again. He crawled back towards Olivia and looked at her, giggling some more. 

“Can you say mama Charley? Mama?”

Charley doesn’t look anything like John. He looks like his mother. I watched him as he opened his mouth in a big ‘O’ as if to copy Olivia. She laughed at him and he did his best to copy her.

“Ma... Ma... Mama...”

Olivia was giddy with pride and joy. As Olivia tried to chase after Charley, he crawled away faster. I smiled at him and he crawled into my lap. Holding Charley had become second nature to me. Though I wasn’t his father, I treated him like a son. He looked up at me with his piercing green eyes, just like his mothers and spoke to me. 

“Pa... Pa... Papi...”

My face paled... Oh no, he’d just called me daddy. Now what? Olivia paled as well and looked at Charley who was nestled in my arms. He giggled at me again and spoke.

“Papi.”

Why had I become so attached to him? So much that he calls me daddy? I didn’t know how to react to this exactly, but Olivia soon came to take Charley from my arms and he started to fuss. He started to cry in her arms. Not because he was hungry, but because he wanted to be with me. I’d been over every day after work and he’d gotten so used to me being here that he just assumed I was his daddy. Olivia looked at me and smiled weakly. 

“Peter, we really need to talk about this. You know, you’re around so much that he’s not sure what to think. One day when he’s old enough, we’ll have to tell him the truth. It’s been almost a year since John died... I can’t do this alone; I can’t raise him alone... Not on the $4.50 in American dollars I make at the sewing factory. I’m just lucky they are giving me some time off to adjust to all this. I’ve been meaning to ask you this for awhile, and it might sound strange but, would you mind helping me with Charley? I mean like moving in?”

I took a breath. I’d have to think about that for a little bit before I could give her an answer. The dark circles under her eyes still told me she needed more help than me just ‘being over’ all the time... Besides, I needed to get back to work anyways. Doña Marquez I’m sure wouldn’t mind seeing Charley for a few minutes. I smiled reaching a hand out, touching her cheek lightly, then quickly pulling away, regretting I had done it. Seeing she was uncomfortable, I changed the subject.

“I’ve got to get back to work but, I’m sure Doña Marquez won’t mind if you came and visited for a few minutes with Charley. She thinks of him like her own grandson... Charley really likes her too... Come on...”

Olivia smiled at me and straightened Charley out before putting a light jacket on him, though I’m sure he didn’t need it because it was nearly 80 degrees outside. It wasn’t the wet season yet. She decided to discard the jacket and put it in a bag in case he got cold. When we got outside her house and onto the sidewalk, most of the men tipped their hats at Olivia and Charley. Charley only laughed and clapped his hands. Just as we made it to Doña Marquez’ bed and breakfast, Charley had managed to grab a strand of Olivia’s flawless hair out of her perfect bun. He was pulling on it trying to figure out how to get it out when Olivia yelped.

“No hijo, that’s mommy’s hair. Charley that hurts. Let go of mommy’s hair please.”

Doña Marquez, as always lit up like eternal sunshine when Charley came for his visits. Charley squealed and held out his arms for her to take him. She smiled and took him into her arms and he began twisting the fabric on the collar of her high v-neck starched white dress. Olivia for once was wearing the same color, starched white high v-neck white dress but with stockings and black sensible shoes. Olivia and I both listened as Doña Marquez whispered endearments to Charley.

“Ay, mi Charley! Como estas hijo? Eh? Como estas mi hijo? ¡Abuelita perdido usted!”

(My Charley! How are you son? Huh? How is my son? Grandma missed you!)

She saw Olivia’s appearance and frowned. Shaking her head she looked her up and down and then chose her words. 

“Ay hija, no duerme bien? Peter le debe ayudar fuera más. Mejor todavía, pienso que debe mover con usted ayudarle fuera. Aparte de piensa que él le quiere.”

(Sweetie, do you not sleep well? Peter should help you out more. I think it’s best if he moved in with you. Besides, I think he likes you.)

Olivia smiled nervously at Doña Marquez and pretended to fix her stocking. I turned to Doña Marquez and told her I was going back to work.

“Jefe, ya me voy. Ya cocinado a las tortillas. Cuanto cuesta?”

(Boss, I’m going. I’m going to cook the tortillas. How many?)

Doña Marquez only shook her head no at me and smiled. She had that twinkle in her eyes. Like she wanted to do something impromptu. She was like that sometimes. Out of nowhere she’ll want to do something. 

“Ay hijo, no. Estas bien. Estas cerrado por el dia. Voy a Guadalajara. A todos. Ya vamanos hijo! Vamos al autobús.”

(No son. Everything’s fine. We’re slow today. So we’re closed for the rest of the day. We’re going to Guadalajara. All of us. Let’s go son! Let’s catch the bus!)

Olivia and I smiled at each other and were soon outside watching Doña Marquez close up the bed and breakfast. The walk to the bus station wasn’t that far. But it was really strange seeing Olivia and Doña Marquez wearing the same starch white dress only in different sizes. It would be a long bus ride to the city at least a couple of hours. Good thing Olivia packed a spare set of clothes for Charley and some formula for the road. Clearly, she had known we were going to the city in the first place. I was the only one left out of the loop on this one. 

To Be Continued...


	11. Chapter 11

March 16th, 2003 12 noon

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

Avenida Santa Fe

Charley was fussy in Olivia’s arms when we got off the bus. She’d fed him a bottle of formula, but maybe he needed his diaper changed. I did after all, smell something that didn’t belong. He only giggled at me as if he found being stinky to be funny. Olivia sniffed the air and looked at me momentarily.

“Peter, do you smell that?”

Then she turned her attention to Charley who was playing with Olivia’s nose. Charley giggled some more and continued playing with Olivia’s nose. 

“Ow hijo, that hurts mommy’s nose. Don’t do that! Oh, it’s you that stinks. I think I’ll let Peter change you this time. Last time you peed on me.”

I only smirked and took Charley from Olivia’s arms. Wow, he was one stinky baby. I cringed at the smell, but I’d become used to it. Charley was a baby after all, and babies couldn’t help it because they couldn’t tell us certain things. 

“Peter, I think you should change him. He seemed to like you more. You two make a good team and I don’t like it.”

I only laughed a little at Olivia. She was a good mother to Charley, but she really needed help raising him. Those dark circles under her eyes weren’t going to erase themselves. Charley waved at Olivia as I took him to get changed. When I came back, I found Doña Marquez and Olivia chatting away and laughing at something. Charley giggled at his mother and stretched out his arms for her. Olivia gladly took Charley into her arms and held him. The city hadn’t been a placed I’d come to love very well. 

In fact, I was wary of being in the city, but Olivia and Charley didn't seem to mind it. She was busy trying to keep her son occupied when out of nowhere a large black van with no windows opened up and dragged Olivia and Charley into it. She screamed, and before I could even reach her, the door closed and the wheels screeched as they sped away, and as they sped away, the man in the passenger’s seat yelled something to me in English: 

“You want her back, get me 1.2 million in hard cash, otherwise, she loses a finger, and next time might be more serious...”

I could do nothing, as I was left on the street alone with my boss from the bed and breakfast. She couldn't have fought against them, she was 65. Next thing to do was to find a police officer in Guadalajara who wasn't corrupt... Doña Marquez and I soon found ourselves on Avenida Cinco de Mayo, where the police station was. At one point I worked here as a traffic cop, but I will save that story for later... An officer at the front desk looked up at both of us.

“¿Le puedo ayudar?”

(Can I help you?)

I nodded my head and took my hat off, realizing how ridiculous I looked with it on in here. I knew some good police officers here, and they would have my back. But I don’t know for sure if I could trust everyone. I had to pretend that Olivia was my wife again, for the express purpose of saving her life, and the life of her son. 

“Mi eposa y mi hijo han sido raptados.”

(My wife and my son have been kidnapped.)

The man in front of me looked at an old computer screen that looked like it could easily be from 1983. His hands resting on the keys of the keyboard, he asked what their names were and a description of the car and the kidnappers.

“¿Qué es sus nombres? ¿Y qué clase de coche manejan los secuestradores? ¿Agarró el plato de licencia?”

(What are their names? And what kind of car do the kidnappers drive? Did you catch the license plate?)

I nodded my head and looked at Doña Marquez for some reassurance. Olivia and Charley were my first ‘real’ family in a long time, since Walter had been locked up in Saint Claire’s. I took a breath and told him the entire story.

“Sus nombres son Olivia y Charley Rodríguez. Una vagoneta negra salió de en ningún lugar, una puerta entonces abrió y un hombre dentro de asió a mi esposa, y como tomaban lejos, el hombre en los pasajeros sienta pidió 1,2 millones de dólares. En pesos. Los números en el plato fueron 435 y fueron un plato del Estado de México.”

(Their names are Olivia and Charley Rodriguez. A black van came out of nowhere, a door then opened up and a man inside grabbed my wife, and as they were taking off, the man in the passenger’s seat asked for 1.2 million dollars. In pesos. The numbers on the plate were 435 and it was a Mexico State plate.)

It was very hard not knowing that Olivia and Charley weren’t safe. But I felt it was my duty to protect them. I pulled out a photo from my back pocket. One of Olivia and Charley both. Charley was laughing at the camera and Olivia was smiling brightly. It was taken in the schoolyard in La Laja. Olivia had been sitting on the swings with Charley. The officer in front of me took the photo and quickly gave it to one standing behind him. Within ten minutes, he was back with hundreds of posters. He distributed stacks of 60 to others and told them to post them on every street corner and church in the city. They would also go on national television to ask for peoples help in finding them. The poster read:

“¡La madre y el hijo que pierden! Ultimo visto en Avenida Santa Fe alrededor del mediodía en el 16 de marzo, 2003. Una recompensa es ofrecida a cualquiera que sabe los paradero de ellos o tiene cualquier información del secuestro. Si tiene cualquier llamada de información la Policía de Guadalajara en 43-98-12-65.”

(Mother and son missing! Last seen on Avenida Santa Fe around noon on March 16th, 2003. A reward is being offered to anyone who knows the whereabouts of them or has any information of the kidnapping. If you have any information call the Guadalajara Police at 43-98-12-65)

Olivia and Charley’s names were on the very bottom of the posters. I smiled and thanked the officer in front of me. Olivia would be found alive, and so would Charley. We just had to figure out where they were...

To Be Continued...


	12. Chapter 12

March 18th, 2003 

Estado de México, México

(Mexico State, México)

When I opened up my eyes I found the world around me was strangely dark. There was a black hood over my head. I tried to keep my cool, but I had to find Charley.

“Mi hijo! D… Donde esta mi hijo? Charley hijo!”

(My son! Where’s my son? Charley!)

I heard a man’s voice next to me. Every muscle in my body screamed out in pain.

“Your Spanish is terrible lady, so we’ll speak English.”

I’d have to play my cards right here. I could fake accents well.

“No habla ingles idioto. Soy Olivia Rodríguez de Jocotepec. Donde esta mi hijo?”

(I don't speak English you idiot. I'm Oliviva Rodriguez of Jocotepec. Where is my son?) 

I could feel something jab my arm. Then someone whispered in my ear.

“Medicina por su condicion.”

(Medcine for your condition.)

My mind went into overload. 

“Cual medicina? Otra vez, cual medicina?”

(What medicine? Again, what medicine?)

The man next to me didn’t say anything and I slipped into darkness. When I woke again, My entire body ached and I was badly dehydrated. I turned my head to the right when I heard whimpering close by. It was Charley I was sure of it. I sniffed the air trying to figure out where I was exactly. It air smelled earthy, like I was in a barn, and then something else hit my nose. Something that smelled like urine. I felt my face turn different shades of red. Oh, it’s me... How embarrassing. I shook my head and suddenly felt a warm breeze coming from the left of me. There must be a door somewhere... A man’s voice was whispering in my ear, but it wasn’t the same man that drugged me.

“Don’t move... Let’s take this hood off so we can see that pretty little face of yours...”

I couldn’t move, and the only thing I could move was my head. Suddenly, the hood came off my head and sunlight, even if it was through the cracks of a barn I was being held in, was bright as if I was out in it. I squinted and closed my eyes at it. My vision was swimming, but I could clearly see another woman holding my son and feeding him a bottle. I took a deep breath and remained strong. I wasn’t going to let this man do anything to me. I’d get away and take Charley with me. We’d find our way back to Jalisco. I was far from it, and I knew it. I was in a different state completely. 

“No entiendes señor. ¡Yo no quiero que usted me tocando! ¡Basta ya! Repugnar puerco! Dije basta ya! Basta ya! AHORA!”

(I don’t understand you sir. I don’t want you touching me! Let me go! Disgusting pig! I say let me go! Let me go! NOW!)

I took another breath in and knew what I had to do. This guy was disgusting, so I knew right then what I had to do. I spit in his face, and just as he was about to hit me, another man came in and saved me from a sound lashing so to speak. I had a son to protect and his life depended on his mother getting him out of this place. 

“Ricardo! Dejalo!”

(Ricardo, leave her alone!)

I looked up the man; he was tall and wore a hair piece. He also had a couple of gold teeth and rings on his fingers. He was wearing a fur coat, but it wasn’t even cold. This must be Big Eddy. I swallowed hard but kept my ground. I wasn’t going to let him scare me. But then I remembered what Peter had told me about him. 

‘He won’t hesitate to take a finger Olivia.’

Big Eddy smiled at me with a big-toothed grin. I was regaining the feeling back in my limbs. But my muscles ached and felt like they were on fire. Charley was squirming in the unknown woman’s arms on the other side of the room. I stared Big Eddy down. He wasn’t going to scare me. Until he took out a pocket knife and placed it just above my pinky. He smirked and then put it away...

“I wouldn’t do that to you Señora Rodriguez.”

Big Eddy untied me. This had to be some sort of trick. Some sort of trap to get me out into the open and then shoot me. He helped me up onto my feet as if he were a complete gentleman. He took my son with such care and placed him into my arms. I was so weak. He tied a jug of water to my waist along with directions on how to find my way back to Jalisco. Outside the barn was a long deserted road that stretched on for kilometers and kilometers. I’d be walking on it for awhile with the occasional car passing by every now and then.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judging by how high the sun was in the sky, it must be noon or a little after. My legs felt like they were on fire. Charley by now was screaming at the top of his lungs and it was so hot... We found a tree on the side of the road, though it provided little protection from the sun, it was still better than nothing. So I sat down under it and tore a piece of my dress off to place under my head to give him some water. I’d feed him but I was out of formula and this wasn’t the place to just let him nurse. One swallow of water and he spit the rest out, screaming his head off. A few cars went by and all the while I screamed at them all.

“Ayudame! Por favor! Ayudame!”

(Help me! Please! Help me!)

No one stopped to give me aide. Charley’s cries seemed to ring throughout the dry remote part of the state I was in. I wanted out of this hell-hole and soon. If not for Charley’s sake. He wouldn’t live long without food or water, and water I was running low on. I’d have to conserve it if we were going to survive.

To Be Continued...


	13. Chapter 13

March 18th, 2003

Somewhere in the desert.

Estado de México, México

State of México, México

 

I was running on pure adrenaline now. I’d driven throughout Jalisco looking in all the places I could think of. Warehouses, fish canneries, and any kind of large building that Big Eddy might use to ‘cook’ his drugs. No such luck. So I find myself on this large and unwavering highway driving more than 18 hours on no sleep and through two different states. Cars were honking and passing me, no one really followed the speed limit here. Even though the sign I just passed said 90K with a red circle around it. I quickly did a U-turn when I saw something white lying on the side of the road. When I found a spot to pull over, I did it quickly so that other cars could pass me and not get distracted. I got out of the car as fast as I could not even thinking about closing the door so snakes wouldn’t get in. 

My heart skipped a beat when I found a large tree and on the ground lie both Olivia and Charley. Seemingly lifeless. I ran over to them and nearly stumbled to the ground. Olivia’s face was red and her hair was matted to it. I put my hand up to her face and stayed quiet for a moment. When I felt her shallow breathing on my hand, I sighed in relief. Charley’s face was also red and covered in sweat. He made no sound, and this made me begin to worry. I swallowed hard and gathered him up in my arms. I tickled his feet to try and get a response out of him. He gave a weak whine, but that was all he gave. I knit my forehead together to form a worried expression. I placed him closer to his mother, hoping that just by being near her, that he’d wake up. I gently shook Olivia. All she did was moan, and not once opened up her eyes. 

“Olivia, open your eyes and look at me. It’s Peter. Olivia please open your eyes. If not for me, then for Charley...”

Olivia managed to open up her eyes, and as she did, they went as wide as saucers. I barely had time to turn around to see what she was looking at. A couple of Big Eddy’s thugs knocked me to the ground, throwing punches to my stomach and my head and I fell like a sack of potatoes in the heat. All I could hear was Olivia’s screams as another set of Big   
Eddy’s thugs took her and Charley away.

“NO!”

My arms were roughly shoved behind me around the trunk of the tree Olivia had been taking shelter under and tied together with plastic tie-wraps. Those things couldn’t be broken with anything but scissors. I struggled against them, not caring that they were digging into the palms of my hands.

“Let’s see if you can get yourself out of this one Houdini.”

I tried kicking at Big Eddy’s thugs. All I got was dirt. They laughed and left me there. As a cruel joke, they left the jug of water Olivia had, had tied around her waist with only a little less than a quarter of it still had water in it. As weak as Olivia was, she did her best to fight against Big Eddy’s thugs, but she seemed to fail miserably. Her pretty face soon disappeared like a mirage. I was all alone, but I had to get free, for the sake of Olivia and Charley. They had become my family, and I would do anything to get them back.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I tried to put on a brave face, but my emotions were betraying me at every turn. Two of Big Eddy’s ‘associates’ roughly shoved me back into the chair I had been held captive in just hours before. What was the point of letting me go, and then capturing me again? Why!? They tied my feet to the legs of the chair and my hands to the arms of it. What kind of perverted men would tie my feet to the chair? As I struggled against the restraints, all I could think about was my son. He hasn’t made a noise in quite awhile. I’d have to do my best to break out my ‘broken English’. I was still undercover after all. I looked over at Charley, he looked so weak. Big Eddy now stood in front of me. Big-toothed gold teeth grin and all. 

“Feed hijo... Charley...”

I’d have to bottle feed him, only because I wasn’t stripping down in front of all these men. No way in hell was I going to do that. One of Big Eddy’s thugs untied my hands while one placed Charley into my arms and another gave me a bottle of formula. I had an IV drip in my hand now. There must be a doctor here sympathetic to Big Eddy or he’s being used to gain leverage on drugs. Charley’s little red face brought tears to my eyes. I stroked his cheek with my finger and didn’t get any kind of response out of him. Then I tried nuzzling his head with my cheek, which got him to open up his eyes. His eyes were glassy looking, as if he were sick. I put the nipple of the bottle up to his mouth but he only whined and turned his head away. 

“Vente hijo. Cométalo.”

(Come on son. Eat.)

I tried again to get him to open up his mouth; but he only whined and turned his head the other direction. I kept trying again and again to get him to eat, and by now I was crying and holding the bottle up to his mouth. My sobs were shaking my entire body.

“Hijo, por favor. Come. Cométalo por su mami y su papi. Por favor hijo. Cométalo.”

(Son, please. Eat. Eat for your mommy and your daddy. Please son! Eat!)

A man in a white lab coat stepped up next to me, and had sympathetic looking eyes. He looked to Big Eddy and spoke to him in almost hushed tones that I could barely hear.

“Señor Big Eddy, this woman needs a place to feed her child. He will not drink from the bottle she is giving him. He needs to nurse. Is there a room she could use in the house?”

Big Eddy only grinned at me with his gold capped teeth, which in my opinion looked ridiculous. I never understood what the fascination was with putting caps on your teeth. Especially gold and silver one’s when your teeth are perfectly fine. Two of his ‘associate’s’ untied my feet and the unknown doctor helped me to my feet. 

I took the help and was escorted towards a house with a large tree covering it for shade. I was wary of this doctor, but maybe he could help me. Truth be told, I hadn’t had a doctor look at me since I gave birth to Charley... But he was a man, and I didn’t want him touching me... One of Big Eddy’s ‘associates’ followed the both of us. When we were in the house, we walked down a long corridor and soon I found myself in a small room with a bed, desk, small dresser, closet and a window to look out. Little did I know, this was where they were going to keep me from now on. Until Peter could get to me that is... The doctor next to me had me sit down on the bed, and I instantly became on edge of the situation. What if he was going to do something to me? I stood my ground and watched as he spoke to the man.

“Leave us.”

When the large man left the room and closed the door behind him, my heart began to race and I felt myself beginning to hyperventilate. 

“Estás bien. Yo no le doleré. Estoy aquí ayudarle.”

(It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you.)

I was on edge, but somehow I believed him. I saw how worried he was when Big Eddy’s ‘bodyguard’ followed us into the house. He looked at the red-faced baby in my arms and almost got tears in his eyes. I took a breath and spoke up.

“Mi hijo Charley, lo puede ayudar?”

(My son Charley, can you help him?)

The doctor nodded his head and took Charley from my arms, who barely made a fuss. His crying was weak and he wasn’t flailing around much, which told me he didn’t have much strength in him. 

“Su hijo sufre del agotamiento para calor. Debe ser refrescado inmediatamente. Y así que le hace...”

(Your son is suffering from heat exhaustion. He needs to be cooled immediately. And so do you...)

Before I could even protest what was even going on, the doctor placed Charley into a portable crib that had been brought into the room. Had they intended me to stay in here the whole time? Another woman, not one that had been holding Charley earlier, brought in piles of rags and five buckets of luke-warm water. I lay down on the covers of the bed and closed my eyes. Soon I felt a cool rag on my forehead and I welcomed it. I didn’t even notice the iv in my hand anymore. I opened up my eyes momentarily and looked up at the glass bottle hanging from the iv cart. I stared up at the clear water-like substance in it. It was keeping me hydrated. I licked my parched lips. Next thing I needed was food. I could barely swallow though. 

“Charley, hijo, tengo hambre? Mami tiene leche…”

(Charley, son, are you hungry? Mommy has milk…)

By now it had been a few hours and I was already starting to feel a little like myself again, though I still felt tired. I burst into tears when Charley let out a strong cry, the first since being captured again. It felt like the first time I heard him cry when I gave birth to him. I was finally feeling cool and relaxed. The doctor, who I had come to know now as Doctor Sanchez carefully took Charley into his arms and brought him to me. The nurse next to me, who I had come to know as Clariana, smiled and helped me sit up. Charley began to flail in my arms, I knew he was hungry. I wasn’t as hungry as I had felt earlier because they were giving me food in liquid form. I nuzzled my cheek against his head and he seemed to calm a little.

“Ya hijo. Te calmas. Te calmas. Asi es tu lechita. Espérate un momento hijo…”

(Ya son. You calm down. You calm down. Here is your milk. Wait just a minute son...)

Clariana sent Doctor Sanchez out of the room so that Charley could nurse. I closed my eyes and leaned my head up against the wall, listening to him suckling. At least he was eating now. I felt his little fingers on my skin and he whimpered for a moment. I opened up my eyes to notice he was staring straight at me with his intense green eyes. My green eyes... Why had I not noticed them before? I smiled down at him and noticed his face wasn’t all red anymore. I traced a finger on his cheek and he snuggled more closely to my breast and ate some more.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don’t know how I managed to get myself free, but I did. My wrists raw and nearly bleeding, I slowly made my way in the general direction of where Big Eddy had dragged Olivia. I followed Olivia’s size six shoe print and followed it for about five miles until they suddenly disappeared... Thirsty again, I took a big swig of water from Olivia’s abandoned water jug. I turned around in circles desperately trying to regain my bearings and tried looking for Olivia’s footprints again. Finding none, I started following the road... I collapsed from exhaustion in a driveway to a farm. I was barely coherent when a truck pulled up and a man got out. I felt him dragging me into the truck with him... Soon I found myself in a soft bed with a cool rag pressed up against my forehead. I was delirious and found myself talking...

“¿Olivia, donde esta? Charley... Hijo…”

(Olivia, where are you? Charley... Son...)

I opened up my eyes and found a woman leaning over me with a fresh rag and was pressing it up against my forehead. She looked worried. She could have easily been in her late forties. The man next to her, which I assumed was her husband, spoke.

“¿Quien es Olivia y Charley?”

(Who are Olivia and Charley?)

I tried getting up from the bed, but the woman leaning over me with the wet, cool rag pushed me back down on the bed. I licked my parched lips and spoke.

“Mi esposa y hijo. Eddy Grande tiene...”

(My wife and my son... Big Eddy has them...)

The man at the foot of the bed went pale... 

“Dios los protégé.”

(God protect them.)

To Be Continued...


	14. Chapter 14

March 26th, 2003 7:35 a.m.

Estado de México

State of México

Big Eddy’s hideout...

I’ve been here almost a week and the only time I’ve been let out of the room is if I need to use the restroom. And even that is outside. A simple outhouse by the tree... Whoever lived here last clearly hadn’t intended to have indoor plumbing... Charley’s cries roused me from my sleep. I quickly went over to the crib and picked him up out of it. He cried in my arms and was screaming his head off until he was red in the face. I took him back over to the bed with me. He still cried as I held him in my arms on the bed. Hoping that by speaking to him, I’d get him to calm down.

“¿Que paso hijo? Eh? Que paso Charley? Tengo hambre?”

(What is it son? Huh? What is it Charley? Are you hungry?)

I made sure his cloth diaper wasn’t all soiled. I think he might have gas... As a last resort I tried to get him to eat, guiding him towards me, but he only screamed louder alerting me that something else was wrong. I tried speaking to him again.

“Charley, what’s wrong? Are you scared?”

It occurred to me, that the past six months Charley has been in this world, I had never spoken a word of English to him. Okay, maybe one sentence. But I’ve spoken in Spanish out of necessity rather than by choice. Peter was the only one I spoke in English to. A noise came from the closet and startled me. I swallowed hard and straightened myself out, going towards the closet with a feeling of dread settling inside my chest. What I wouldn’t give for my gun right now... With Charley in one arm, I carefully opened up the left door to the closet it. I jumped back when a man’s body came crashing to the floor. His hands and feet were bound and tape covered his mouth. I shifted Charley a little and leaned down next to the man. Pressing two fingers up to his neck, I felt for a pulse. How can he still be breathing? How long has he been in the closet? I pulled the tape off the man’s mouth and Charley whined. His head had slipped a little. I placed him in a good position again and kissed his forehead.

“Sorry hijo.”

The man on the floor opened up his eyes and looked at me blearily. At first he seemed afraid, and I did my best to keep him calm. He may have injuries. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Uh, habla ingles? Do you speak English?”

The man nodded his head and I carefully shifted Charley in my arms. He was getting fussy. 

“Yes I speak English. But who are you? Do you work for Big Eddy?”

I shook my head no and looked him over for a moment or two. Charley’s whining continued to persist. Now he really was hungry. 

“No I don’t. He’s holding me captive. Olivia Dunham. FBI. I’m undercover trying to bust these guys. I have yet to find any substantial evidence though... And you are?”

The man looked at me stunned for some reason... As if me speaking English were the weirdest thing to him. 

“Terrance Carrington, CIA. You want proof; my badge is in my pocket. Whose baby is that? If you don’t mind my asking?”

My guard instantly going up farther, I held my son protectively in my arms. His face was as red as a tomato from crying and screaming so much. I clenched my teeth, my eyes burning with hurt tears. But I held them back. 

“He’s my son. Charley.”

Mr. Carrington quickly looked at me apologetically as I fished out the badge he’d said was in his pocket. I looked at it carefully. Agent Terrance Carrington, Central Intelligence Agency. I nodded my head at it, as proof of who he said he was. 

“I’m sorry I said that... That was the first thing that popped into my head... I have a boy back home myself... About two... Energetic little guy... I’ve been staked out here two years trying to do something I’m not even authorized to give you access to. Could you do me a favor and untie me?”

I nodded my head and undid his hands and feet. I saw him wince when he tried to push himself into a sitting position. I placed Charley back onto the bed; he’d cried himself to sleep. My poor hijo. I placed a hand on his shoulder and he stayed down.

“Do you have any injuries?” 

He nodded his head as I carefully looked him over. He grunted when I pressed down on one of his ribs. 

“Looks like a few broken ribs. Does it hurt to breathe at all?”

I heard my door handle jiggling and quickly helped Agent Carrington to his feet and quickly shoved the tape over his mouth again and closed the closet. I then took Charley up in my arms and pretended to be getting ready to have him nurse. Big Eddy came into the room and asked me a question.

“Who were you talking to?”

I pretended to mind my own business and looked down at Charley as he was starting to wake up again. Then meekly, I looked into Big Eddy’s eyes and pretended once again not to understand what he was asking me.

“No habla ingles. No entiendes...”

(I don’t speak English. I don’t understand…)

I stayed in my corner on my bed with Charley safely tucked in my arms and I watched him warily as he ripped open the closet. I looked down at Charley again, distracting myself to avoid Carrington’s gaze. He was shoved out of the closet and out my bedroom door. My bedroom door slammed shut, ten minutes of arguing and then pleading from Carrington and then a loud gunshot and a thud to the floor somewhere in the house. I jumped and looked down at Charley. That would be me if I didn’t find a way out of here soon. I wanted Peter to find me now rather than later... Now I really was in deep trouble.

To Be Continued...


	15. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter has a very vivid nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own any of the Fringe characters. But I do own Charley.

April 3rd, 2003 4:30 a.m. 

Ramírez residencia

Estado de México, México

State of México, México

“Peter please! HELP ME! I really can’t do this! PLEASE! HELP ME! HELP ME! HELP ME! It hurts too much! I want her out! NOW! SOMETHING’S WRONG!”

She was in so much pain, and I felt so helpless to stop it. Her screams rang throughout the room. Looking around the room, I see a bunch of different doctor’s all with worry and concern written all over their faces. I looked at all the stuff in the room, it was written in English. When had we come back to America? This looks like Boston General. Then I see Charley, he’s older, and looks more like his mother than he’ll ever know. He’s crying and calling out for his mother.

“¿Mami, estas bien? Mami, estas bien?”

(Mommy, are you okay? Mommy, are you okay?)

Charley looks like he’s about four. When I pick him up I notice a wedding band on my left hand. What? When did I...? When did Olivia and I get married? I could see Olivia’s face, red and covered in sweat. Her voice was low and strained as she spoke to Charley.

“Tu hermanita Charley. Ella es venida. ¿Quiere verle hace usted no?”

(Your little sister Charley. She’s coming. You want to see her don’t you?)

Charley nodded his little head and I went out into the hallway just as Olivia started to scream again. Both her parents were out in the hallway, Cathy and General Dunham. I handed Charley off to General Dunham and he looked at me with concern. 

“You sure my little girl is doing alright in there? She sounds like she’s in a great deal of pain. Do you want me to go in there?”

This dream was strange, and it was about to get worse as I shook my head and went back into the hospital room with the screaming Olivia in the hospital bed. There were a couple of doctor’s sitting in front of Olivia talking and trying to make sure she was doing alright. I was instantly by her side. I took her into my arms and tried my best to comfort her through all the screaming. Her grip on me was like a vice, not once letting me go. My face paled as the sheet turned completely red and then she was suddenly still in my arms. 

“NOOO!”

I woke to find Señora Ramirez and her husband standing over me. They had been taking care of me since they found me lying in their driveway nearly a week ago. Señora Ramirez was placing a cloth over my forehead and was trying to keep me down on the bed. 

“Ay que fiebre! No, Juan bajate.”

(You’ve got a fever! No, Juan stay down.)

I wasn’t going to stay down. I had to find Olivia. She was in danger. My nightmares were getting worse, but this could be a glimpse into my future. A possible future that is. Señora Ramirez picked up a large hand mirror and showed me my face. It was pale and covered in sweat. My hair was also sticking to it. I tried again once more to get up out of bed, this time succeeding. I stumbled my way towards the bedroom door and made it as far as the kitchen. I was to the kitchen door and out it when I collapsed from complete exhaustion. I wasn’t going to give up; I had to get to Olivia and Charley. I felt Señor Ramirez’ hands on my shoulders. I usually didn’t cry in front of people, but my nightmares were starting to scare me. A lot more than the one’s from when I was a child. I felt like I was begging.

“¡Por favor señor Ramírez, mi esposa Olivia y hijo Charley están apuro! ¡Tengo que llegar alos! ¡Permítame por favor para ir! ¡Mi marida se morirá si yo no la llego a pronto! ¡Y que sabe lo que sucederá a mi hijo! ¡Por favor!”

(Please Mr. Ramirez, my wife Olivia and son Charley are in trouble! I have to get to them! Please let me go! My wife will die if I don't get to her soon! And who knows what will happen to my son! Please!)

It was clear that they weren’t going to let me go anywhere. Not with the high fever I have. I couldn’t even hold soup down. I was getting so sick of Menudo.


	16. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia once again escapes from Big Eddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fringe characters not mine. Charley is though.

April 16th, 2003 5:35 a.m.

I couldn’t sleep and I’d moved Charley’s crib closer to my bed ever since he’d had difficulty breathing two days ago. I picked him up out of the crib and held him in my arms. He wasn’t doing well. I tickled his feet to make sure he was awake. I closed my eyes when I heard him begin to wheeze. He’d better not have Asthma. I knew how to make sure that an adult’s airway was clear, but a baby? They had such little mouths and my fingers were so big. I watched as he flailed his tiny arms around. All I wanted him to do right now was to give me one good strong cry, just to know that he was okay. 

“Por favor hijo, Llore por favor.”

(Please son, cry please.)

Charley took in a good strong breath and gave a good cry. Tears began to well up in my eyes. I relished in the moment hearing his cries. Returning back to the day of Charley’s birth. It was an amazing moment. 

“Ah, gracias a dios... Gracias para ayuda mi hijo.”

(Thank you god… Thank you for helping my son.)

I rocked Charley to calm him down. He calmed and snuggled closer to me. He was getting hungry again. His little fingers grabbing at the fabric of my torn dress. No one here afforded me a clean shower, so I probably smelled bad. Water out here lasted two or three days on one single large water tank, which had to be shared between all the neighbors in the area. Once you ran out, it took days to fill up again. I held Charley close to me as I opened up the door and went out into the hallway. This was strange; usually they locked me in... 

One of Big Eddy’s associates was standing at the end of the hallway, with his back turned towards me. I quickly hit him over the head a broken pipe I had found in my room. He fell with a thud to the ground. Knocked out, I made my way into the kitchen. Big Eddy was situated in a chair at the kitchen table, a bottle of Jack in his hands. I quickly shifted Charley and slipped more than half a bottle of crushed sleeping pills into the bottle. I immediately froze when he stirred. Fearing that at any moment he’d wake up. He only began to snore again. I took in a silent sigh of relief and made my way towards the front door and out it... It was only a matter of time before they’d find me now...  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was dark and I couldn't see a thing in front of me as I carried my son closely to my chest. Escaping Big Eddy hadn't been easy, but I had managed to knock a few of his men out and pour more than half a bottle of crushed sleeping pills into his half drank bottle of Jack. The darkness around me was frightening, but I was an FBI agent, the dark shouldn't scare me. A small coyote blocked my path to the road in front of me, snarling and barring its teeth at me. We were essentially trapped. I could make a fire and light a tree branch to try and scare it away, but then what would I do with Charley? 

I moved slowly to try and get around the coyote, but he only got closer, snarling and barring his teeth at me. With what little light I had, I still managed to find a hollowed out tree stump and placed Charley inside, hoping that the coyote wouldn’t go after him. I found a stick on the ground, a heavy one and started swinging at the wild dog. I struck him twice, which only made him wary of me, and I heard him whine and scurry away. I sighed in relief and picked Charley up out of the tree stump. I could see lights in the distance; though I didn’t know how far I was from these lights I followed them. I was tripping over my own feet after twenty minutes or so, but I had to hold out, for Charley. I managed to make it as far as the front door before I collapsed in front of it. 

“¡Ayúdame! Por favor! Ayúdame!”

(Help me! Please! Help me!)

The front door opened up and out came a woman in her late forties. She gasped when she saw the both of us. She helped me to my feet and into the house shutting the door. I could hear a man’s voice in one of the bedroom’s. It sounded a lot like... Peter! 

“Olivia? Donde esta? Charley? Donde esta mi hijo?”

(Olivia? Where are you? Charley? Where is my son?)

I looked into the woman’s eyes and she looked in pity at Charley and the state my clothes were in. My only attention right now was on Peter. He was in this house and I had to see him. I spoke to her. 

“Mi nombre es Olivia. Este es mi hijo Charley. Mi marido, Juan, estas aquí?”

(My name is Olivia. This is my son Charley. My husband, Juan, is he here?)

The woman nodded her head and helped me to the back room where Peter was lying in a bed, looking like death had warmed over. His face was pale, his breathing ragged and his hair was matted to his face. Sweat fell down his face like tear drops. I made my way over to him and sat down on the bed. Slowly placing a hand on his forehead, I could feel the heat coming from it. I carefully placed a cool rag to his forehead. He opened up his eyes and looked at me blearily. 

“Olivia? ¿Es usted eso?”

(Olivia? Is that you?)

I nodded my head and put my index finger to my lips signaling he should remain quiet. I placed the rag into the cool water and rung it out, replacing it back against his forehead which was on fire. 

“Si Juan, es mio. Deseo que permanezca la calma. Duérmete.”

(Yes Juan, it’s me. I want you to stay quiet. Sleep now.)

Peter nodded his head and closed his eyes, a single tear trailing down his pale face.   
In his hand he held the photo of Charley and I taken by him in the school yard in La Laja. He’d kept it. We really must mean something to him... 

To Be Continued...

A/N: So, what’d you think? Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!


	17. Hiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Olivia go into hiding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fringe characters not mine. Charley is mine.

April 26th, 2003 8:35 p.m. CST

Ramírez residence

Estado de México

State of México

The Ramirez’, the couple that took both Olivia and I in were more than generous to let us stay in their home. We were all sitting in the living room on two sets of couches. One Señor and Señora Ramirez were sitting on, and Olivia and I were sitting on the other playing with Charley. Olivia had Charley in her lap and I was next to her playing peek-a-boo with him. I smiled brightly as I heard him start laughing as if there were no tomorrow. He loves to be tickled. Olivia’s smile was so contagious that mine stayed plastered to my face. 

“¡Permítanos cosquilleo a Charley! ¡Conozco uno chico pequeño que es muy cosquilludo!”

(Let's tickle Charley! I know a little boy who is very ticklish!)

I watched as Olivia set Charley down onto the carpet. Both of us grew wide eyed when we saw him grab onto the table with his chubby little hands and pull himself into a standing position. A big smile erupted across his face and he clapped his little hands before falling hard onto his bottom. Pounding on the door made all four of us look in the direction of the front door. On the other side, I could hear Big Eddy’s voice.

“Abre la puerta! Undale! AHORA!”

(Open the door! Hurry up! NOW!)

Señora Ramirez led us to the room Olivia was staying in, at the back of the house and pulled away a floor rug, and revealed a secret trap door under it. Opening it, she made sure that we were alright in there and closed it up, replacing the rug back over it. I could hear Charley starting to whine in Olivia’s arms, but she kept trying to keep him calm.

“Estas bien hijo.”

(Everything’s okay son.)

I could hear Big Eddy above my head with a bunch of his goons. I held my breath as he walked out of the room. Apparently Olivia had been holding it too. Charley was quiet for the most part, but the fear in Olivia’s voice was enough to break me in two.

“Peter... Something’s wrong with Charley! He’s not moving! Charley! Hijo!”

I quickly, but carefully took Charley from Olivia’s arms as I heard her scramble to find something with light. Finding a flashlight, she turned it on and aimed it towards me and Charley. I took my jacket off and placed it on the floor, placing Charley on it. Olivia’s eyes held fear in them and she looked as if she might be sick. I could see her swaying back and forth, but she kept her balance with a support beam next to her. 

“Come on Charley. Come back to us. Don’t leave your mother and I here all alone. We love you... Come on, please breathe.”

Olivia seemed to sway back and forth as she paced like a caged lion. Here eyes widened every now and then as I continued to try and breathe life back into her son. Her voice was hardly a whisper when she first spoke next.

“P-Peter, how do you know what to do? I... I... I know how to give CPR to an adult, and check their airway, but a baby; I don’t know a thing... How is it that you know all this?”

It was a long story, but it was one in a long string of them that Olivia still didn’t know about me yet. I spoke in between giving breaths to Charley.

“I studied under a doctor for awhile in Mexico City. I was there maybe eight or nine months. Well one day, when I was off work, I was sighting seeing on the Xochimilco River when a two year-old little girl fell into the river from one of the rafts passing by me. Her mother, who was beside herself, was screaming for someone to help her. I dove into the river and pulled the little girl out and started CPR on her. She was so pale and her lips were already turning blue, I didn’t think she was going to make it. But when she spit out that river water and started to cry, I knew she was going to be alright...”

Olivia’s frantic pacing was making me nervous as I continued to work on Charley. I saw her run her hands over her face a few times, and now the tears were flowing down them. She ran her fingers through her now messy hair and then placed a hand over her mouth and let out a loud sob. I could hear her breathing quicken, sounding as if she were beginning to hyperventilate. 

“Charley... Hijo... Por favor no me salga... ¡Yo no deseo que muérase! ¡No me salga!”

(Charley... Son... Please don't leave me... I don't want you to die! Don't leave me!)

Finally Charley took in a breath and belted out one long anguished cry. I heard another choked sob escaped from Olivia’s lips as I carefully enveloped Charley into my arms and placed him into hers. She turned to me after she’d placed tons of kisses onto Charley’s head and thanked me.

“Thank you Peter. Thank you for bringing Charley back to me. Thank you!”

We weren’t out of the woods yet. Big Eddy and his goons were still above our heads making their rounds from room to room. It would be only a matter of time before they found us. We had to get Charley some help. He wasn’t doing well at all.

To Be Continued...


	18. On the Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia escapes Big Eddy's clutches. Peter is held captive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fringe characters not mine. Charley is.

April 26th, 9:35 p.m. CST 

Estado de México, México

State of México, México

Before I even realized what was happening, Peter had pushed me out the trap door in my room telling me this:

"Olivia, you get as far away from here as you can. Whatever you hear, don't look back. There's a gas station about four kilometers from here. A PEMEX (Petroleo Mexicano) gas station and there is a taxi waiting there for you. He'll drive you to Toluca, the capital of the State of Mexico. There you will go to the local money wiring center and get cien-mil pesos from them. That's 100,000 pesos from the clerk from there you will find a man by the name of "Sanchez" and he'll take you to a safe house where you'll stay until I can get to you. Everything Charley needs to get better Sanchez will take care of it. Now go before Big Eddy catches you again! Go!"

I made my way carefully out of the house and back onto the dirt road. I stopped short when a group of large coyotes began to circle me, their mouths watering and their teeth snapping at my ankles. I was in trouble now... I’d be lucky to get out with my life. Charley was wheezing again, and his breathing sounded a little shaky. My mind began to race as the coyotes continued to circle me. No Charley, don’t do this to me! Not again! Not now! Snap out of it son! One of the coyotes succeeded in reaching for my ankle and drug me down to the ground, making me fall with a thud. 

Charley didn’t fall very far to the ground, but it was enough to make him give a startled cry and start screaming his head off. I could feel the coyote digging into my foot. The pain was worse than when I was giving birth to Charley. Though it was very dark, I could see the two outlines of coyotes now encircling my son. I went into panic mode and found something to hit the coyote making breakfast out of my ankle. A rock. He let go and scurried away with five others... I threw a rock at the two circling Charley, hoping that they’d get the hint and go away...

“Dejalo mi hijo! Basta ya! Vamanos!”

(Leave my son alone! Let him go! Go away!)

I threw a rock at the both of them, but only missed by a few inches. They backed up but kept circling around Charley. I threw another rock at them, and this time they seemed to get the hint and scurried in the direction the other five coyotes went. I crawled over to Charley and picked him up trying to comfort him. When I got to my feet, the pain in my ankle shot up my leg and up my spine. It was a terrible feeling, but I was closer to the PEMEX gas station than I had been previously. When I finally reached the gas station, I went inside, to find a woman sitting behind the counter with a newspaper. El Norte. She put the newspaper down when she saw me. She clucked her tongue at me when she saw my ankle covered in blood.

“Tsk, tsk. Que paso hija?”

(What happened to you sweetie?)

I shook my head and looked up at the tv once I sat down. As she cleaned and dressed my injured ankle, I looked Charley over to make sure he was alright. He had his head on my right shoulder and was looking up at me with bleary eyes as he played with a loose strand of hair that had fallen out of my bun. The woman who dressed my wound figured out what had happened to me and continued to wrap my foot in silence. Meanwhile I spoke to Charley, trying to keep him awake and alert.

“Ya, despiertas hijo? Vente Charley, despiértalo… Mire la televisión Charley, es Cri-Cri… Tu programa favorito…”

(Are you awake son? Come on Charley, wake up... Look at the tv. Charley, it’s Cri-Cri... Your favorite tv show...)

I frowned when he didn’t even smile. Time to change tactics. I listened to the little cricket on the tv singing the Song of the Cricket. Tema de Cri-Cri. I would have to sing to him to get him to at least smile at me. I was beginning to get worried. 

“¿Quien es el que anda aquí? ¡Es Cri-Crí! ¡Es Cri-Crí! ¿Y quién es ese señor?

¡EL Grillo Cantor! ¿Quien es el que anduvo aquí? ¡Fue Cri-Crí! ¡Fue Cri-Crí!

¿Y quién es ese señor? ¡El Grillo Cantor!

(Who’s coming this way? It’s Cri-Cri! It’s Cri-Cri! And who is this sir? The singing Cricket! Who’s coming this way? Crickets leaving! Crickets leaving! And who is this sir? The singing Cricket!) 

Charley still had his head on my shoulder, but at least now I’d gotten a smile out of him. And he was giggling. I knew I could make him smile just by singing to him. I looked back at the woman who was now placing a plate of hot food in front of me. I smiled at her and set Charley down next to me, who was busy playing with his hands. Before she went back to what she was doing, I asked if she had any milk. 

“Ay, con permiso, tiene leche?”

(Excuse me, do you have any milk?)

The woman nodded and went into the back part of the store. I ate in silence and smiled at Charley through the bites of my Enchilada. This green salsa was going to be hell to my stomach later, but at least I’d have something in my stomach. It took me thirty minutes to finish my dinner. It was now a little after 10 p.m. I smiled at the kind woman as she brought back a warm bottle for Charley. I took the bottle from her and carefully gathered Charley into my arms. I stuck the nipple of the bottle up to his mouth and he began to suckle on it. Sooner rather than later I’d have to wean him off breastfeeding. He won’t like it, but he’s getting too big to be fed like that. I sighed happily as he ate. He ate so much! 

I was shocked to find that within twenty minutes he was finished with the whole bottle! I was about to ask her how much and reached into my dress pocket, but the woman shook her head at me and smiled.

“En la casa, hijita. Cuídate mucho.”

(It’s on the house sweetie. Be careful.)

I nodded my head and went out to the taxi that was waiting for me outside. When I got inside the man driving the taxi looked back at me expecting me to tell him where we were going. I spoke up.

“Vamos a Toluca.”

(Take me to Toluca.)

The driver nodded his head and pulled out of the gas station. It took us nearly three hours to get to Toluca, but once we did. I felt a little better. I took from my dress pocket the address of where Sanchez lived. I arrived on Avenida Cuauhtemoc and found Sanchez’ house immediately. It was a light green concrete house with a large water tank on top of the roof. I knocked on the door and a man I assumed was Sanchez ushered me in. 

“Tu eres Olivia Rodriguez si?”

(You’re Olivia Rodriguez yes?)

I only nodded my head and let him usher me into the house. A woman in her early thirties looked at me in pity, and gasped when she saw my foot. Charley was asleep in my arms. I kissed him gently on the forehead. At least now we were safe, and he could get the care he needed. 

To Be Continued...


	19. Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big Eddy is caught and Peter is set free, reuniting with Olivia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fringe characters not mine. Charley is.

April 26th, 2003 10:00 p.m. CST

Ramirez Residence

I hoped with every fiber in my being that Olivia and Charley were safe. I kept their picture in my shirt pocket to remind myself who I was fighting to protect. Sitting in the darkness of the hidden room below Olivia’s comforted me. I wasn’t afraid of the dark, not here at least. My heart began to race as the trap door was ripped open and two arms reached in and pulled me out of the hidden room. I came face to face with Big Eddy.

“Where is the woman who was hiding with you in there? Where is she?”

Big Eddy was getting nothing from me. He wasn’t going to find out where Olivia and Charley were either. My eyes were daggers at Big Eddy’s goons as I was literally drug out of the house. When we got outside, I was roughly shoved into the back of a pickup truck, my hands and feet bound with tape. It was a short distance to his hideout and I still had managed to get a large bump on my head because one of Big Eddy’s goons was driving like a maniac. Suddenly, I was shoved out of the back of the truck and roughly pushed towards a weathered down barn. Once inside, Eddy slammed me down into a chair with leftover tap. He gave me a twisted smiled and spoke.

“This was the chair we had you’re girlfriend tied to... She was a feisty thing that put up one hell of a fight. All she really cared about was her son though...”

I gritted my teeth and tried to remain calm. I didn’t like him talking about Olivia like that. All I could do to keep myself calm was to think about Olivia and Charley. I smiled to myself with my eyes closed when I remembered Olivia’s voice the day she had Charley. 

“Peter, do you want to hold Charley? Don’t worry, he won’t break. I promise. Mind his head though. There you go. See? You’re a natural. He seems to like you already Peter.”

My mind snapped back to reality when I felt something very hot just above my arm. I opened up my eyes to see a red hot poker just above my arm. I put on my bravest face. These guys were idiots. They hadn’t even tied me down! With all my strength I broke free of the tape covering my hands and feet, then ripping the tape from over my mouth off. 

“I’m smiling because you have no concept of what family means!”

I quickly kneed Eddy hard, making him fall to the ground, stunned by my quick thinking. The real surprise came when two of Eddy’s goons jumped me from behind and clocked me over the head with the butt of a nine millimeter.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything was hazy when I opened up my eyes. I wasn’t in the rundown weathered barn that smelled of cow manure and urine anymore. I was in a ranch style house and in a bedroom with a bed and a crib exactly opposite it. This must have been Olivia and Charley’s room. I sat up on the bed, the blankets held Olivia’s scent. A discarded baby blanket lie strewn in the crib next to the bed. I must have been out all night because the sun was just now rising. I heard a door being knocked down towards the front of the house, and interestingly enough, the voices were all in English.

“FBI! Hands in the air! You’re all under arrest for illegal trafficking of drugs into the United States. Hands up! Let me see them!”

I immediately froze when an FBI agent entered the room. I put my hands in the air but put them back down again as the man in front of me put down his gun and held up a piece of paper asking my name.

“Are you Peter Bishop?”

Nodding I kept my distance from the agent not sure if he was going to arrest me or not. The picture on the paper was me. I couldn’t doubt that. I swallowed but kept my position on the bed. 

“Yes I’m Peter Bishop. What’s it to you?”

I mentally beat myself up for my last part of my sentence. The agent in front of me only gave me a stern look but nodded his head in understanding. Taking me by the arm, he took me out into the hallway.

“Agent Dunham sent me to this location and said that the Estrella Verde drug cartel was using this farm as a hide out as well as several other locations in Mexico. Agent Brian Carson. We’ve been directed to take you to Toluca where Agent Dunham is staying in the local hospital with her son Charley.”

I was somewhat suspicious of the agent in front of me, not sure if he was the real deal or not. But my suspicions were squashed as soon as a tall African American man who looked to be in his early forties walked up to the both of us. 

“Peter Bishop? I’m Phillip Broyles with Homeland security. We understand that you were being held hostage by this ‘Big Eddy’. He says you owe him over half a million in American money. He says that’s not the only debt you hold with him. I have a message from Agent Dunham for you: ‘ “Peter Bishop has been nothing but helpful to me since the loss of my husband. He’s pulled me out of danger more times than I can count and I’m grateful for that. My son and I.” ’ 

We’ve also found out that this ‘Big Eddy’ has hit men spread throughout the country, we’ve got agents looking in the states that he’s given us a list of. As for the debts he says you owe him. As of right now, you owe him nothing. There’s a car waiting for you just outside that’s going to take you to Toluca.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time I reached Toluca it was already the middle of the day. Olivia and Charley were in the local hospital. Walking the hallway, I finally found where Olivia was with Charley. I knocked on her door, although I was nearly halfway in the room. I hurried to Olivia’s side as I saw her rocking Charley in a rocking chair next to the plastic basinet that was next to the bed. I looked at both her and Charley, she was feeding him with a bottle. I placed a lone finger on Charley’s cheek and stroked it momentarily. He cooed and snuggled closer to Olivia. Olivia looked up at me with tears in her eyes, but didn’t dare let them fall down. I frowned at the iv cart she was hooked up to. Before I could even question why, Olivia answered my question.

“Peter I’m perfectly fine. The doctor’s just have me on an iv because I was a little dehydrated. I’m doing better though now. Charley’s getting better too. It seems he’s got Pneumonia, but they caught it early. He’s been sleeping and eating a lot, so I guess that’s a good thing.”

I smiled and placed a small soft kiss on Charley’s forehead. This little guy has been through so much in so little time, but he also stole my heart the moment he came into this world.

To Be Continued...


	20. First Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charley takes his first steps, much to Olivia and Peter's delight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fringe characters not mine. Charley is.

September 16th, 2003 9:35 a.m. CST

La Laja, Jalisco, Mexico

Today is Charley’s first birthday. I still can’t believe he’s a year old. Feels just like yesterday when I held him in my arms for the first time. Peter and I sat on the living room carpet and watched as Charley held onto the table and toddled around it. He giggled at the both of us and toddled some more. When he got back to us, he gained confidence and stood up with the help of a toy. He took a few steps towards me and fell. 

“It's okay Charley. Get up. Try again. You can do it.”

Charley smiled at me and picked up a toy in his left hand and stood up. I put a hand up to my mouth and held the tears back. He laughed and spoke.

“Mama...” 

He took a few steps forward and fell again. This time he didn't cry though... He got up picking up his toy along with it. Slowly turning around he turned to Peter and laughed. 

“Papi...”

When he reached Peter, he put his arms in the air and smiled. Peter picked him up and gave him a light kiss on the forehead. I smiled sadly for a moment, remembering how much John would have loved to have seen Charley walking. Sometimes I let myself go and cried. I was a widow after all. But it’s been a year, so things are getting better as the days go by. Peter had put Charley back down onto the floor and took a few steps forward. He was going to fall again. I let out a warning to him.

“Te caes hijo! Te caes!”

(You’re going to fall son! You’re going to fall!)

Instead he took wobbly steps towards me a little too fast around the coffee table and came dangerously close to clipping his side against it.

“Cuidado con la mesa hijo! Ay, hijo!”

(Be careful of the table son! Oh son!)

Before I knew it, he’d crashed into the table and was crying and screaming at the top of his lungs. His face as red as a tomato I picked him and rubbed a thumb over the red spot on his forehead. I kissed the red spot, though I knew it wouldn’t make it all better and magically just heal over. I stroked his cheek with my index finger and he stopped crying looking up at me and smiling. He was also upset because he was still cutting teeth. I handed him one of his plastic rings I’d put into the freezer, and he stuck it in his mouth. He was hiccupping now. A knock on the door brought me from Charley’s attention. I gently set him back on the floor and watched him toddle towards Peter again. Once I opened up the door, I saw that it was Doña Marquez behind it. She smiled at me, greeting me and pulling me into a hug. 

“Hola mija! Como estas? Donde esta Charley?”

I looked down when I felt someone tugging on the hem of my dress. I smiled down at Charley and he laughed.

“Mama.”

He saw Doña Marquez and erupted into smiles and started laughing. He’d just learned a new word: ‘Abuelita’. Grandmother. Though when he says it, it doesn’t quite sound the same. He squealed and toddled over to her.

“Abita! Abita!”

I could see Doña Marquez had tears in her eyes, and as she picked Charley up, she gave him a kiss on the forehead. Things were shaping up to be better than they have been the past year. Charley was finally walking. 

To Be Continued...


	21. Chapter 21

January 16th, 2006 

I saw the sad look in Charley’s eyes as I locked up our green concrete house with the large black hot water tank on top of the roof for the last time. He’d spent his entire life in 

this house. As we made our way out the gate he looked at me with tears in his eyes. 

“Mami, no quiero vivia en los Estados Unidos. No quiero. Yo quiero vivo con abuelita.”

(Mommy, I don’t want to live in the United States. I don’t want to. I want to live with grandma.)

I only shook my head at Charley. Well, he didn’t really have a choice did he? My stomach had been upset all day but I thought nothing of it. It was just nerves. I hadn’t been home since 1999. I’ve been here in La Laja for seven years. I was glad Charley knew English and Spanish. It would make it much easier to adjust once we got back to Boston. The trip itself would be long. We still needed to board a plane in Guadalajara and from there we would fly to Houston. As I ushered Charley into the car, he had nothing but complaints for me. For the next forty-five minutes he kept complaining. Finally I’d had enough.

“Ya Charley ya. No más. Tómalo su jugo.”

(Enough Charley. Enough. No more. Drink your juice.)  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was already forty minutes into the flight when I looked over at Olivia, her face pale and her hands literally shaking. I looked at her carefully; sweat was beginning to collect at her eyebrows. Charley was fast asleep next to her, holding onto her arm. I carefully reached over and removed his arm from Olivia’s and placed it under the blanket. Olivia looked as if she were ready to throw up. I saw her take the air sick bag and start breathing into it. I put a hand up to her shoulder and she seemed to relax a little.

“Hey, Olivia, are you okay?”

I saw her shake her head no. Either she was afraid of flying, or she was sick. It still felt strange, being married to her I mean. After all she’s been through; I had somehow fallen in love with her. She took the paper bag away from her mouth.

“I just don’t feel that great Peter. Maybe it was something I ate? All I want right now is some ginger ale and some Saltine crackers.”

I waved a stewardess down and she came quickly. I looked up at her and smiled, though my eyes showed concern. As I rubbed Olivia’s back, I asked for the ginger ale and the Saltine crackers. 

“Could I get some ginger ale and some Saltine crackers for my wife? She isn’t feeling too well.”

The stewardess walked away, and it wasn’t until she came back with the items I’d requested that I figured something fishy was going on with Olivia. Olivia snatched the ginger ale and Saltine crackers from the stewardess and opened each at the same time. Taking a big chug from her ginger ale, and then taking bits of Saltine cracker into her mouth. She noticed I was staring at her.

“What?”

I only smiled at her and figured the obvious. You’re pregnant and you haven’t told me. She didn’t even look me in the eye as I spoke.

“There’s something different about you. But I can’t quite figure out what it is.”

Though she didn’t look at me, she gave an annoyed sigh and began to chug at her ginger ale once more. She was not amused. This was going to be a long trip to Houston.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

George H.W. Bush International Airport

Houston, Texas. 3:35 p.m.

Customs

I held on to Charley’s hand as we were next in line in Customs. The man behind the counter looked stern but Charley would have to do his best to put a brave face on. I handed the man behind the counter our passports. He stamped mine and Peter’s, but flagged Charley’s. He looked down at Charley while another attendant stood next to him.

“Can you say your name for me son?”

Please don’t roll your r’s Charley. Please don’t do it. I smiled at the man as Charley shyly said his name in perfect American English.

“Charley Dunham-Bishop.”

The man nodded his head and stamped Charley’s passport. One hurdle down, several more to go.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Six months later...

July 16th, 2006 

U.S. Citizen and Naturalization Ceremony

Boston, Mass

I smiled over at Charley as he held his little American flag, waving it several times as they said his name.

“Charley Dunham-Bishop. You are now a citizen of the United States. Welcome home son.”

But Charley was too little to understand what had just happened. Still waving his flag, I picked him up and placed him on my shoulders. He laughed but there was concern in his voice.

“Papi, soy Americano, pero soy Mexicano…”

I only looked up at him and shook my head no at him. We were in America, and now he had to speak English.

“Uh, uh Charley. English please.”

Charley sighed and looked down at me. He had a protest on his tongue; so much like his own mother it was funny really.

“Okay. I’m American, but I’m also Mexican. How can I be both daddy?”

I only smiled at him and took him down from my shoulders ruffling his hair. Olivia gave me a worried look.

“I really wish you wouldn’t put him on your shoulders like that. He could really get hurt up there.”

I only stared at Olivia. Since when had she become so protective of Charley? Must be the raging hormones. What I couldn’t believe was that we were actually having a baby together. I mean I’d figured we’d eventually have one together later on down the road, but now seemed kind of overwhelming to me. Six months in, and her and I both decided not to learn the sex of the baby. We wanted to be surprised.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
October 16th, 2006

I felt like I was in worse pain than I had been in with Charley while I was in labor with him. I wouldn’t deny it, I was having trouble, but I was doing my best to curb my fear and focus on getting this baby out of me. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Peter please! HELP ME! I really can’t do this! PLEASE! HELP ME! HELP ME! HELP ME! It hurts too much! SOMETHING’S WRONG!”

I heard Charley begin to freak out next to me. He’d been calm through all this, up until this exact moment. He could feel my fear and had latched onto it. He was panicking, and when he panicked he only spoke Spanish.

“¿Mami, estas bien? Mami, estas bien?”

(Mommy are you okay? Mommy, are you okay?)

I nodded my head and placed a hand over my stomach trying to focus on anything but the pain. I gave Charley my best smile and tried to comfort him.

“Estas bien, hijo. “Tu hermanita Charley. Ella es venida. ¿Quiere verle hace usted no?”

(I’m fine, son. Your little sister Charley. She’s coming. You want to see her don’t you?)

I watched as Charley nodded his head yes at me. Peter took him in his arms and led him outside where I could clearly see both mom and dad. I saw Peter place Charley into my father’s arms. As soon as I screamed he came rushing back into the room and was right at my side. I gripped his hand in a death-vice like grip and screamed some more. The two doctor’s in front of me kept shaking their heads. One of them looked at me with concern and pity. 

“Olivia I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but, because of the way the baby is positioned, we’ll have to perform a C-section. Don’t worry it’s painless I assure you.”

I kept shaking my head no at the doctor in front of me. I turned to the one next to him and spat my venomous sentences at him.

“No way in hell are you cutting me open! We agreed on natural, so let’s do this naturally!”

The second doctor only shook his head no at me. I gave a frustrated sighed and plopped my head back onto the pillow once more. 

“Olivia, right now, the best chance at survival for the both of you, is a C-section. Both of your lives are in danger. Right now, this baby is breech. Heart rate could go down, along with any number of other things. I want you to just try and relax and breathe normally. We’ll get your baby out.”

But I couldn’t relax. Now flat on my back, I watched everything begin to whiz by me, mom and dad next to me the whole time. Charley had gone with Rachel and Ella in the playroom down the hall. Peter never let go of my hand as we entered the OR. I cried more as the doctors and nurses prepped to take my baby out of me. Peter still holding my hand, I didn’t take my eyes off him as I felt pressure against my stomach. I bit my lip and closed my eyes. The pressure felt strange, and I was strangely tired. But it wasn’t until I heard the baby cry that my mind went jolting awake. I laughed and gave out a choked sob. Peter looked over the barrier at the doctor that had my baby in his arms. He smiled and then laughed with tears in his eyes.

“It’s a girl Olivia! It’s a girl!”

I sighed and put a hand up to my forehead in relief. When the doctor’s cleaned her up, Peter took her from them and came towards me, tears still streaming down his face. I gave him the biggest brightest smiled I had ever given him. 

“Rosa. Her name’s Rosa.”

With that Peter placed Rosa in my arms, though it was awkward because I was completely on my back. Her cries seemed to quiet and she opened up her eyes to reveal that they were indeed green, just like mine. But she had a full head of black hair. That’s interesting... This was the happiest day of my life...

The End


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